Coastal Autodefensas re-establishes barricade, as Templarios reorganize

Lucio R. Borderland Beat with C.E.M. information from Aristegui Noticias

The government says Caballeros Templarios are history. After the capture of CT premier leader, La Tuta, clearly they were a broken, diminished group and what remained were a fractured mess of cells. But leaders, such as El Tena, one of the original AD targets, and El Gallito, nephew of El Chayo, the deceased (times two) former leader and others were quietly reorganizing and gaining strength. They will have an arduous time gaining territory they lost to El Mencho and CJNG.

TDR, a regular on Borderland Beat, on the ground in Michoacán, sent in this story about Michoacán’s “genuine autodefensas” once again led by Cemeí Verdía, after his absence as a political prisoner.  “AD barricades going back up along the Michoacán coast. Leader Cemeí Verdía says CT leaders still out there. Recent shootouts in LC (Lázaro Cárdenas)prove the point”.

Today Policía Comunitaria de Santa María Ostula, Michoacán, again installed the barricade at the point of Xayakalan on the federal coastal road to confront violence as they demand justice for the death of Edilberto Reyes García child during the military attack on July 19, 2015 in Ixtapilla. A coordination of Mexican army, navy and state police, shot several children and killed Edilberto in the military attack.  The Edilberto was shot while shopping, killed by one gun blast that penetrated his neck and exited his eye. 

Adding insult to injury, the state and federal elements claimed it was the autodefensas who shot the children.

In a meeting Sunday, attended by about 1500 indigneous Nahua community members,  it was decided to reconstruct the barricade as a filter to prevent  movement of criminals and the expropriation of  7 to 9 thousand hectares of the coastal strip, reports  legal representative, Carlos González .

"They agreed to collaborate together, with 200 community with 60 community police or autodefensas who integrated with the Police Single Command," Gonzalez said.

Community Police/AD will be led by Cemei Verdía , and Germán Ramírez Sánchez, “El Toro” , who relieved him in his absence during his incarceration, and now is in charge of the management of the municipal police of Aquila, which belongs Ostula.

Gallito on left

In a telephone interview,  Cemei Verdía said what they see is a reorganization of the Caballeros Templarios, able to do so because they never detained plaza leaders as “El Tena” and “Lico” who always remained free.

Cemei does not fear the danger of federal forces stopping the barricade,  "There is no danger, nothing like that, we are stronger than ever," he said.

Meanwhile the legal representative said:

"It's not a roadblock, it will be a point of security within the

Tena

territory of an indigenous community that was installed after a decision by its assembly, which is its highest authority, which has constitutional and international recognition by the agreements signed by Mexico on indigenous rights. "

The villagers know of a recent meeting of leaders of the cartel taking place in the mountains, which they plan to reenter indigenous territory, rich in minerals.

Gonzalez explained that requires the community punish the soldiers who fired at the checkpoints and the coastal town of Ixtapilla where the child died, because there has not been  judicial progress.

"The preliminary investigation is locked in Uruapan and no military or police have been arrested, have not even paid the funeral expenses of the child," he says.

The checkpoints that were installed in Ixtapilla that July 19, 2015, were protesting the arrest of its leader, CEMEI Verdía, accused of theft and possession of exclusive weapon of the army, although it had been provided and registered by the government state. Cemei was in prison for 5 months and released in December, 2015.


In addition to drug trafficking, the territory is valuable to organized crime, because the area is rich in natural resources.   

The Ostula ferrous belt is considered the richest in Latin America.