"They imprisoned me for defending an ideal
that benefits the people. I will never again be apprehended. Even less so if I carry a weapon. I won’t give up. Let them kill me! Or better
yet, let them shoot me and I them. They are not going to come again
to put me in jail unjustly.”
Always seen hanging around his
neck, are two cell phones and a pearl rosary. Today he is wearing a new hat, with a blue plaid shirt and
glasses. He smiles, he says that he feels happy for the
love that people express and because, he
acknowledges, that now more than ever, he is absolute that the struggle of the autodefensa groups in
Michoacán must continue.
Dr. José Manuel Mireles
In Mexico City he awaits Mora in the living room of his attorney, where they will eat with a group of friends. Just a few hours prior, the first National Congress of autodefensa concluded.
In Mexico City he awaits Mora in the living room of his attorney, where they will eat with a group of friends. Just a few hours prior, the first National Congress of autodefensa concluded.
Mora he acknowledges that his close
friend and AD partner is the "media guy" while he is the strategist.
In an interview with La Jornada,
he says;
HM: "Together we're invincible; he, more than I.”
"I Was Wounded That They Imprisoned Me"
Cautiously, the founder of the
self-defense movement of Michoacán has just two weeks of freedom in La Ruana,
and he still doesn't understand the “why”,
that resulted in the betrayal
that led him to prison:
HM: "How is it possible that the government imprisoned me? If
they knew exactlyl what I'm doing? This
is going to sound bad,…. but I am the most sensible of the leaders. The same government that imprisoned me told
me: 'We know you are the most
well-balanced of the group, you are the mediator'.
Then bam! Off to jail! It wounded
me. I felt, and I feel, very angry. Tremendously."
La Jornada: Would you say, that it's not good to be trusted by the
government?
HM: "Yes, I saw it. I've
never even offended those bastards at any time.
And they put me in jail. It makes realize that it's good to be firm
with them."
Alfredo Castillo
Above is a new Corrido from Noel Torres about the Autodefensas
Alfredo Castillo
La Jornada: What did Commissioner Alfredo Castillo say to you, when
you left prison?
HM: "Nothing, we joked."
La Jornada: About what?
HM: "We talked for two hours. At some point he got up to speak on the
telephone. Before they locked me up, he
was thinner and now I see that he is a little chubby. And I told him, 'Look, if you let this
continue, you're going to be just as plump as me'. Then he turned to another person and asked: 'Did he just call me piggy? 'Then he turns to
me and asked, ‘Did you call me piggy?' And he came back with; 'It seems to me that I'll have to put you in
jail again’, he relays the story with laughter.
La Jornada: Do you trust him?
HM: "I am a very trusting person, so whatever happens,
happens. But, in this case, no, not
anymore.”
La Jornada: What is your Plan B, if things don't work with the government?
HM: "I haven't thought
about that scenario yet."
La Jornada: Will you?
HM: "Yes."
La Jornada: Will you take up arms again?
HM: "If it's necessary, yes."
La Jornada: Do you sleep with a 9mm?
HM: "Yes, always. If things start up, I just have to reach out with my hand , Just
like that. I keep it on one side of
me."
La Jornada: How many weapons do you have?
HM: "Right now, they took almost all of them."
La Jornada: Who?
HM: "The same
government that detained me. They told all the guys; 'relinquish the weapons’. They had us surrounded. However, they are now returning them to us. They were all registered weapons."
La Jornada: But, aren’t some
of yours missing?
HM: "Yes, of course; and we need them."
La Jornada: What else do you
need?
HM: "To continue the fight. We have conflict with Caballeros Templarios,
we need the weapons to defend ourselves and our property."
La Jornada: And what about the government’s order of disarmament
?
La Jornada: Did you
negotiate with the government to get out of jail?
HM: "No. They didn't find any evidence against me. There were many people who were interested in my staying in jail. But they
could not [legally] keep me there."
La Jornada: Like who, was interested?
HM: "Templarios. I affected their interests, which are
many."
La Jornada: Templarios, in
collusion with the local power?
HM: "Most likely."
La Jornada: Alfredo Castillo
believes the problem in Michoacán has been solved in five months.
HM: "He is wrong. This problem is going to take a long time to
resolve, he think it's easy. I told him that I've always lived in Michoacán; I know how everything is. This is so dangerous that it can even revert
to even worse."
La Jornada: Revert how?
HM: "In a way that doesn't benefit anyone."
La Jornada: Why? Aren't they
going to solve things?
HM: "there are many problems in Michoacán, and the government
has to continue working. And we
autodefensas, also."
La Jornada: As yet, haven't
seen you dressed in blue, Rurales Force uniform.
HM: No. I signed up. But I doubt it, I doubt I will be joining
it."
La Jornada: You doubt it?
HM: "We are waiting."
La Jornada: Will you wear
the uniform?
HM: "If there is a need."
La Jornada: Have you thought, that if you do, you would disappoint
many people?
HM: "A little ... "
La Jornada: Do you feel like
a leader of a social struggle, or a government fight?
HM: "Probably, the social struggle."
La Jornada: Since when?
HM: "Some time ago. If you could see the reaction of the people in
any town I visit, any place. When they see me walking around, they come out of the shops, and their homes. Sometimes I go to buy a shirt and they don't
want me to pay. In a restaurant, they
don't want me to pay. Wherever I am,
everyone wants to take photos with me. In
La Ruana itself, where we've known each other our entire lives, my neighbors want to take pictures with me. That motivates me to keep struggling."
Papa Smurf
La Jornada: Do you see yourself fighting alongside Papa
Smurf, [Estanislao Beltrán]?
HM: "No."
La Jornada: Alongside El Americano, El
Viagra, El 5 ... ?
HM: “No."
La Jornada:
You're not going on patrol with them?
HM: "No. I
do not believe that we will patrol together. We are of different
character. A fight like this should be
from the heart, born from the pain of seeing what is happening
to others. When you fight like that,
one doesn't even think of the money. I didn't think about the money, when at the
beginning of the movement there were many offers, but right now I am getting the fruit of my
labor.
I receive it in the embraces, when they ask to have their picture taken with me, when like now, incredibly, when they ask for an autograph. If I did not fall into temptation in the beginning , there is no chance now, with so much of the people's affection."
I receive it in the embraces, when they ask to have their picture taken with me, when like now, incredibly, when they ask for an autograph. If I did not fall into temptation in the beginning , there is no chance now, with so much of the people's affection."
La Jornada: In
addition to El Chayo, who else wanted to give you money?
HM: "La Tuta. He sent me a video telling me that I could
retire, if I would work for them. He knew that I had not joined any cartel, that I had not sold out to anyone. He named other people who did. I sent him word that he had very good
information and that, please, let us [people
of Michoacan ] be at peace, that I will
never accept his offer to work with him
and the Templarios. I asked a favor of him, that he not again send
people to attack La Ruana, that there be
no more deaths. And that he respects it.
He no longer sent them."
La Jornada: And the government wants to bribe you?
HM: "No. it hasn't offered me anything
yet."
La Jornada: What
if there was an offer?
HM: "They wouldn't gain anything from me, but I would
be grateful if there were sources of jobs so Michoacán might be a little
better.
La Jornada: What
will it take for Michoacán to have peace again?
HM: "That the government continues working, but doing its job well. Imprison those who deserve it, clean up
Michoacán completely. And leave us in
peace."
La Jornada: But the government disarms you and not The
Templarios. ... Tell me why, because I do not understand...
HM: [Silence]
La Jornada: Why
does the government do this?
HM: "One
must have patience .... "
La Jornada: What will you do after the first Congress of Autodefensas?
HM: "I have been invited to other states. All I ask of God is that it might be better
for everyone, not just for a small group of people holding onto the wealth of
Mexico that it [wealth] might be distributed in some way"
“And I Would Like to
Be Legal"
La Jornada: Then,
if the government doesn't offer money ... what does it offer you?
HM: "Only one pistol, a rifle and the
uniform."
La Jornada: And being legal?
HM: "What I would like, is to be legal. Now
we've carried weapons illegally for one year and two months. I have many
enemies. I would like to carry the weapon with a credential that certifies me,
that will not be taken away, and that they
won't come again to detain me."
La Jornada: If
the government gives you this credential ... it would be in exchange for what?
HM: "I'm not going to give them
anything. I am going to keep on with the
struggle. . I am going to keep going because it is needed. And, furthermore. ... there are many people who
tell me that they are not going to abandon me and who trust me.“
“I feel pretty good about that."
La Jornada: If
you accept that credential on the
condition you are rural police, would you betray those people?
HM: "I would betray many people as
well as myself."
Yeah man, when those bastardos just yank you out of freedom without qny warning, it sends a clear jolt down your system that it takes a few days to settle down and get your thoughts back in order, but a stay like that with all those bullshit charges fucks with your head. Homey probably has a bit of ptsd from that...
ReplyDeleteWhat does AUC stand for. I was a little confused since the AUC I am familiar with, Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia, are no longer around?
ReplyDeletehow come el comandante cinco hindu has not been investigated about how el pollo rostizado's gun ended up on his hands, the gun with gold motiffs he has been showing around 'like a trophy', and what happened to the 400 hectares el pollo had? it does not pay to be an ex-templario pollo...
ReplyDeleteYou guys should hear the corrido el cambio-Noel Torres it's about the autodefensas or communtarios it's really good to see someone sing for the good people.
ReplyDeleteI did hear it, a few times actually. My question to you is; Where did you get it was corrido for the AD or communitarios, it's not about them at all.
Deletethis just showed up on my radar... is it true? he's joined?
ReplyDeletehttp://1aplana.mx/noticias/michoacan/hipolito-mora-ya-es-policia-rural-estatal-celebra-el-comisionado-federal/
The Rural en are tainted, Hipolito needs to stay clear of them and the title! That's exactly what the corrupt officials want so that they can dismantle the AD
ReplyDeleteThe corrupt government needs to step up and clean house so that citizens can slowly trust them again! It's never to late to admit their fault and side with the clean AD and arrest the H3 carltel!
ReplyDeletetemplarios=h3. Pseudoautodefensas are acting yet under a undercover but they're the h3
ReplyDeleteHow come these two men out of all people in this movement have"strange"things happen to them?One is very nearly killed in a plane accident and the other is imprisoned by the gov?
ReplyDeleteIn future Dr Mireles and Mr Mora should try not to travel together,what happens to the AD if an"accident"befalls the two of them?
Fear of change for the people in power is the motivating reason for them to want to stop a social movement seeking to end justice. These bastards in Mich. don't want to lose the power, specifically economic power, they have over the masses. They will use any tactics necessary inorder to stop a revolution/it's leaders. Slander, defamation, false accusations, imprisonment, trumped chargers, and even murder as is the case of H.Mora, and Dr. Mireles. In the case of Mora, he was falsely accused of murder on the basis of false witnesses who claimed they heard his voice from blocks away during El Pollo's murder. They didn't see anything! They just heard his voice! How trumped up can that be. The govt. was trying to cut the head off of the AD movement in Mich. It didn't work! We're now seeing that the CAM movement is remaining strong and the govt. has yet to disarm the ADs. They called their bluff! There is a difference between an unarmed and an armed populace. You can't easily mistreat the a people inorder to quell their movement as in TC. The powerful/cartels in Mexico are probably shaking in their boots.
ReplyDelete@9:36
ReplyDeleteYou must not have heard the new one of this week, it is all about 100% Michoacan autodefensas. All the lyrics "long live the autodefensas for a better tomorrow" and all the images are of the autodefensas, the first image is a sign reading "Long live the revolution of the autodefensas, of/for the towns."
I will post it, it is from the album releasing on June 10th
Yes chivis, It's a great song I would like Dr.M or H.M comment about it. @9:36 did you listen to the right song?
ReplyDeleteYes Lito joined the rurales. My understanding is he did it to be able to move with weapons, just like mireles wanted to.
ReplyDeleteor...he spoke out his ass in the last line of the interview.
Time will tell
When will we ALL recognize that ALL governments do not want us, the people, to stop the madness caused by them! The powers that be, whether criminal or legitimate, want us to stay quiet and subdued, text- do drugs and be entertained and just shut up! It doesn't matter what country you are in or what era this may currently be––it has always been this way and will always be this way until we, the people, wake up and say "NO!"
ReplyDeleteTome will tell what the end game is for Hipolito joining the Rurales. It's easy for us to gossip from a computer. For him to actually live through this ordeal and be in a tight spot÷ Let's hope this move is to counter the H3 cartel! That handshake with El Americano and Castillo will forever be a moment to reflect upon as time and situations come up!
ReplyDeletejust to legalize their weapons, meanwhile they are trying to involve others in the AD for other states, best wishes to them, God knows it's needed...
ReplyDeleteThis drama is worse than a novela!
ReplyDeleteThe AD movement needs to stay clear of the tainted Rurales! At this point the government has chosen to ally itself with criminals or people with shady backgrounds! So why join them and lose legitimacy?
ReplyDelete