From Self-Defense Members To Unjust Prisoners

By: Heriberto Paredes

(March 30, 2014) On March 26, an incident that unveiled the true vocation of the federal and state governments passed by unnoticed by most of the press and of course, no spotlight was placed on this event.  A group of 11 people were suddenly arrested by members of the Ministerial Police of the municipality of Ziracuaretiro and later taken to the Social Rehabilitation Center in La Piedad, another municipality of Michoacán.  

Within this group, three are members of the self-defense groups of Taretan and the rest are people who supported the idea of organizing to clear the area of organized crime. These three members are Santiago Duarte Sanabria, Jesús Fernández Alcázar and Victor Manuel Duarte Hernández, leader of the self-defense groups in Taretan.

The incident occurred after a meeting between self-defense members of Taretan and citizens of Ziracuaretiro, as well as members of the state government; there was an invitation to officially register the arms of the self-defense members and to voluntarily access it, they had to go to Uruapan to proceed.  Or at least that was the agreement made; however, halfway through the trip, the vehicle convoy changed course and headed straight to La Piedad, where they apprehended the 11 people.

It should be noted that the situation in Michoacán is complex; the presence of the Caballeros Templarios is still constant and has led to murders and kidnappings.  A resident of Ziracuaretiro, in a telephone interview for SubVersiones, says that “Since last week, the atmosphere has been very tense; we can’t live like this, that’s why we agree that the self-defense groups should organize and clean the villages of Templarios.  

The people arrested last Wednesday are honest people who until now have only worked with the federal police and the army in order to locate criminals, it isn’t right that they are now imprisoned and accused of things they didn’t do.  We can’t allow this approach from the government that decides when you are an ally and when you are a criminal.”

Several witnesses claim that everything was going peaceful, the self-defense group of Taretan along with residents of Ziracuaretiro agreed to organize in order to rise up.  Even the regional attorney of justice, Iván Martínez Gutiérrez, as well as various elements of the ministerial police attended the meeting.  At the request to officially register their weapons in order to not violate the agreement made with the Commissioner Alfredo Castillo on January 27, members of the self-defense groups got on official vehicles (including the attorney) and headed towards Uruapan. 

It was during the middle of the trip where the vehicles stopped and the trip changed direction towards La Piedad.  There were no preliminary investigations or complaints or arrest warrants to justify the actions of the authorities.

Both families and residents of Taretan stuck together to demand the immediate release of the three self-defense members and the other eight people who were coordinating to form a self-defense group in Ziracuaretiro.  The three men are accused of bearing arms for the exclusive use of the army and have a private attorney after the legal aid failed to comply with the legal procedures properly.  Many people say “these three men are honest people who have only been concerned with clearing their town of Caballeros Templarios; one of the men’s father was murdered and that is why he decided to join the movement to combat organized crime.  

They have collaborated with the federal police to tell them where the members of the cartels are, especially on ranches that surround the town; they have also helped the military during operations and even prevented them from being ambushed by organized crime.  We don’t understand what’s happening now”, says a resident of Taretan who prefers to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation by the Templarios and also now the government.

In previous articles we have mentioned it, the strategy of the federal and state governments is being shown increasingly more: to break up the self-defense movement.  It’s quite clear that once the government has taken advantage of the work that the self-defense groups have done to clear Michoacán of organized crime, the government doesn’t recognize this sacrifice and starts attacking them.  

Through deception, people who are not criminals have been detained.  In the opinion of a resident of Buenavista Tomatlán, “the government would help more if they weren’t here and stopped bothering us, we are already finishing the Templarios but when are we going to end the State”.

So far there are still 78 members from the group of Aquila that are still being imprisoned in the prison Mil Cumbres in Morelia and in Peñón Viejo, Veracruz, as well as one of the most visible leaders of the movement, Hiplólito Mora, who is being held in the jail of Apatzingán.  

It surprises many people in this Michoacán region that law enforcement becomes effective and quick when it comes to unfairly  blame the self-defense members but when it comes to members of the Caballeros Templarios, there doesn’t exist “not even an investigation, a remark, something that makes us believe in justice, because we denounced those responsible for several murders, extortion, and kidnappings but the police continue to do nothing”, expresses a man who in his tone of voice clearly reflects the indignation he is living in. 

Source:SubVersiones

Categories: Drug War, mexico, Michoacán, Self-Defense Group