Autodefensas led by Dr. Mireles advance to the town La Mira, Michoacán

Pepe and Chivis for Borderland Beat 

Autodefensas led by Dr. Mireles advance and take the town La Mira, Michoacán, about an hour outside of Lázaro Cárdenas.

Led  by Dr. Manuel Mireles,with 300 autodefensas [AD’s] from Aquila, Coahuayana and  Lázaro Cárdenas, they arrived  into La Mira,  at the request of the citizens. The group of AD's, in 50 vehicles, advanced and liberated the coastal town at 8:00 a.m. this morning.

Shimei Verdía,  commander of the indigenous Ostula autodefensas, said the group, which did not include any members of the Fuerza Rural headed by Papa Pitufo or any other state security forces, arrived due to citizens' pleas for justice and security. 

In response to concerns that these AD's are not legalized, the spokesman said, "that doesn't matter, we're going to do it anyway. “

When we started we weren't legal either." 

He then added that the group encountered no resistance in their advance on La Mira.

In April of this year,  there  was an incident in Caleta that broke the ties and trust between Smurf and Dr. Mireles.  Shimei Verdia was very vocal against Smurf, accusing smurf of setting up the coastal AD as they advanced to Lázaro Cárdenas then encountering the conflict in Caleta.

“Papa Smurf is just a spokesperson and is not someone who can run off someone else”. He also added: “It makes you wonder how they have liberated a lot of municipalities without even catching a fucking ‘hawk. Would there be a little business with the Templarios?"

The Coastal Autodefensas have always been considered the cleanest group of AD.
Below is a public letter from the people of La Mira following the Caleta incident.  
Translated by ValorXTruth

Mr. Estanislao Beltrán, you came to La Mira, Michoacán and its surrounding areas with your autodefensas, which were arrested by federal forces on Friday, May 9; the residents of the region ask a great question: Why did you come?  To deceive the people?  For vacation?  To eat seafood and swim in our beaches?  Many were confused, many feel used and many also say: “You see the autodefensas are a bunch of crooks”.

What is going to happen now?  You came with your commotion in you trucks, you gathered the people in the plaza of La Mira, you illusion them, you give them hope and worst of all, you expose them in front of people from different classes who were there, all of a sudden, you take your autodefensas in an operation, you create chaos, confusion, people fall back in fear and you, where are you?  You didn’t even leave dust.  The official version says that they were false autodefensas bla bla bla; but Mr. Papa Smurf, you brought them, you came with them, you patrolled with them, you went to the beach with them; the more the people try to understand what happened, it only creates more confusion.

Who is in charge of security in this region now?  The people are afraid ever since the day of the operation, in which a psychosis was created, no one knows who to care for; what’s going to happen to the people who shared their problems in the square?  Remember the people that said to you:

“Now that the match is lit don’t leave us on our own, because our life is in danger as of now”.

The people are angry because you honestly burned with the village, remember when the people also said:

“We want Mireles because we know you but we have more confidence in him, out there they say that you have a problem with him but we want you to bring him”

And you answered:

“Of course I’ll bring him, we don’t have any problems with each other, they are only rumors, we are friends”

And days later it was known that they overthrew Mireles as spokesperson and autodefensas; where was the great friendship you said you had?  Lies, you only brought lies.  There are many points to discuss, what I can tell you is that the streets are empty, the people don’t go out, there is no type of federal security, not even autodefensas, you only left your sandbags that are disturbing the movement in Acalpican de Morelos and a bunch of junk in La Mira.

And now what will happen to us?

You deceived and betrayed the people Papa Smurf, you armed your circus and used us.