Cemei Verdía and the Resurgence of the Coastal Autodefenses

Translated by Yaqui for Borderland Beat from: Mich321

July 21, 2018                                         Cemei Verdía Zepeda

Aquila, Mich -  Just past 6:30 in the morning of Friday the gathering of armed civilians began in the municipal seat of Aquila. They met the same as in 2013 when they started the self-defense groups in the Sierra-Costa region to fight organized crime. Unfortunately, as the resurgence of the mostly indegenous peoples of the coastal autodefensas began, their previously beloved leader Cemei Verdía was rejected and shunned.

His big mistake was taking the risk of running for a local Pan party position in the July 1st election, a position highly frowned upon by those same indigenous community members who distrust most in "the Bad Goverment". In their eyes, his running for a government position meant abandoning their interests. (more below)

Cemeí Verdía Zepeda, a leader of the armed civil war in Aquila, warned that with this resurgence -  they have begun to clean up criminals who threaten their families, poison them with drugs, kidnap them and even kill them.
Little by little a caravan was formed with about 40 trucks, one of them armored, manned by approximately 200 inhabitants of the municipalities of Aquila, Coalcomán and Chinicuila, who have risen again in arms to take control of their region from organized crime groups.

During the caravan of the first operation, Cemei Verdía, accompanied by community leaders from Coalcomán and Chinicuila, pointed out that there is an inability of the state government to stop the violence that threatens its people.

"Today, the self-defense groups are once again taking control of the municipalities. We are going to tell our governments that we are clean self-defense groups and we are going to take care of security, which is what is most necessary in our region, "he said.

With their long and short weapons, as a whole, they announced that they will again do the work of security and combat the criminal cells of the Knights Templar and drug dealers of crystal meth who have returned to their lands.

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Verdía Zepeda asked  the administration of Governor Silvano Aureoles that if they are not going to help stop the criminal harassment, "do not get in the way", because what is at stake is the life of its inhabitants, not a photo-op charge or a public image.

"Hopefully, if the government wants to help us, I hope it does. We are willing to work in coordination, but if not, just do not get in the way and we can clean up, "he reiterated.

Prior to regaining control of security in the Ostula community, Cemeí Verdía recalled that the state government has not complied with the self-defense groups in Michoacán, which generated a criminal outbreak of drug sales in their localities.

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Also they denounced that  there are still cells of the cartel The Knights Templar that have returned to some communities in this region, adjacent to the states of Colima and Jalisco, where they have perpetrated armed attacks, kidnappings and murders. 

With their long and short weapons, as a whole, they announced that they will again do the work of security and combat the criminal cells of the Knights Templar and drug dealers of crystal meth who have returned to their lands.

"That is why today my colleagues invite me to fight this and I will gladly do it. We have always been alive and we have remained united in the municipalities, " he said.

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Self-defense groups resurface in Sierra Costa de Michoacán:

"Today the self-defense groups are taking control of the municipalities, and we are going to tell our governments that we are self-defense groups, and we will prevail and give the security that is the most important thing.

"We also fight against a few criminals who still plague us in the region. That is, I do not see anything clear, they promised that they would end organized crime, which would end the Templarios, because right now I see that the Templarios are still operating in a certain region of our municipality and that is worrisome. And let's hope that if the government wants to help us, hopefully and really help us, we are willing to work in coordination, but if not, that they do not bother us, we can clean up,"explained Cemeí Verdía.

But also, villagers acuse an armed group, commanded by a civilian nicknamed "El Toro", of intervening in the decisions of the ejido assembly and to threaten some ejidatarios, who have even left the community for security reasons.

We are grateful to them, because we know Cemeí a lot, we know the people who come here to accompany him, they already said that they came in peace, they did not come to attack anyone. 

Because here is a man we call the dictator because this gentleman is the one who is saying what is to be done and what is not. He is called  ''El Toro'', he is the one that is somehow doing something or sending in the community to oppose Cemei, "said Angel Mata Cirino, a community member from Ostula.

During the entry of the armed civilians while an ejidal assembly was being held in Ostula, they were confronted with blows by another civilian group called the Santa María de Ostula communal guard, without any detonations of firearms.

Supported by the population of Ostula, the self-defenses commanded by Cemeí Verdía were expelled from that community, however, the civilians refuse to lay down their arms and assured that they will continue with their patrol work in the rest of the municipality.

The communal guard of Ostula, led by "El Toro" opposes the presence of the self-defense forces of Aquila, as they defend their legitimacy as a security authority in Ostula.

They ran to Cemeí Verdía of the communal assembly, but they do not want him in Ostula:

The former commander of the community guards was forced to retire, they did not even allow him to participate in the community assembly to deal with issues related to security, community organization and other issues of interest to the indigenous communities of the Nahua coast of Aquila. Civil and cultural rights that he had until a few months ago were given up when he chose to participate as a candidate for local deputy for the PAN, events for which he did not have the support of his people.

In a video broadcasted by the community members, a Cemeí Verdía is exhibited, which appeals to his humility, braided huarache shoes, simple clothes and a rifle on the shoulder, but accompanied by escorts and as a transport an armored white Suburban.

Three months ago Cemeí Verdía ceased to be the leader of the Community Police in the Nahua coast, his foray into politics took place without the support of the community assembly, to be a candidate resigned his position as commander and the inhabitants of the region took it as a betrayal.

After the electoral process, Cemeí slipped into Ostula with the intention of participating in an assembly of the communities, but it is no longer accepted, the people confronted him, they shouted that until a year ago they all gave their lives for him, that's what constancy in multiple events in which community members faced criminal groups and militia.

Even the attack by the Army against residents of Ixtapilla, which left a boy killed and 11 people wounded, was caused because the then governor of Michoacán, Salvador Jara Guerrero and the Viceroy Alfredo Castillo, had ordered the arrest of Cemeí Verdía, who was detained in his own community, under deception inviting him to board a helicopter. 

This action unleashed the movement of the communities that culminated in the first State Crime, as indicated by the National Commission of Human Rights (CNDH).

But today people no longer defend Cemeí, ''go away'', they shouted at him in their attempt to want to lead the social movement, even one day before the assembly announced that the self-defenses of Aquila were again taking up arms, the truth is that it does not have the support of the Ostula communities, and no community police follow it.

Before the popular rejection, Cemeí Verdía accepted the invitation to retire from Ostula, peacefully and without any altercation he approached the Suburban and returned on his way.
VIDEO

He remains in the municipal seat with his self-defense group, very close to President Jose Luis Arteaga Olivares, who does not appreciate the community guards and who will leave the presidency in September to deliver it to President-elect Mohamed Ramírez Méndez, they are also political rivals. 

For other cool images and facts about Michoacan's Indigenous Populations go HERE