Sedena Deploys 860 Elements In Michoacan To Guarantee Lemon Production

 "Char" for Borderland Beat 

This information was posted by LA JORNADA 

WRITTEN BY: CESAR ARRELLANO GARCIA 

NOVEMBER 26, 2024

Apatzingán, Mich. The Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) deployed 860 elements in six municipalities of Michoacán, including Apatzingán, Buenavista, Parácuaro, Múgica, Tepalcatepec and Aguililla, to guarantee the production and commercialization of lemons, threatened by extortion by members of organized crime, mainly by the Viagras cartel.

La Jornada visited the “Rancho Seco” orchard, the “La Luna” packing plant and El Tianguis Limonero, located between the town of Antunez and the municipalities of Apatzingan and Paracuaro, which were targets of extortion by organized crime. Producers were asked for up to 2 pesos for each kilo of packaged lemons.

However, President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo committed to actions in favor of security in Michoacan municipalities where lemon production is the main economic activity.

Therefore, as of October 1, the 100-day plan of the Federal Administration was launched, with the aim of guaranteeing that the citrus production and commercialization chain develops in an environment of security and public peace.

According to the results of the citrus plan, from October 1 to November 25, 63 alleged members of organized crime have been arrested, 61 firearms, 383 magazines, 11,322 cartridges, 12 grenades, 28 vehicles were seized and 132 kilo 670 grams of marijuana and 980 grams of methamphetamine were seized.

“With the start of the current administration, strategies were implemented mainly related to the attention to the different problems in the country, mainly violence and insecurity. In Michoacán we are working with all the authorities: federal, state, armed forces, police, state and municipal public security. There are 64,111 hectares of lemons grown in the state. The state has the first place in lemon production. We have a register of 3,411 producers. There are 26 municipalities in the state that are dedicated to lemon production, but the concentration is in the six aforementioned municipalities of this hot land area,” said Brigadier General Eugenio Leonardo Lopez Arellanes, State Coordinator of the National Guard in Michoacan.

He indicated that 420 elements of the Armed Forces, National Guard participate, 360 elements of the Army, “we have 50 elements of the Secretary of Public Security of the State, Civil Guard is known, as well as 30 elements of Municipal Public Security. We do it in different routes established in the six municipalities, patrolling, visiting plants and orchards.

Likewise, military protection posts have been set up and personnel carry out security patrols along the lemon routes, visit packing plants and provide escorts for vehicles transporting lemons from the production fields to the storage places and marketing points, as well as for the transportation of lemons from the production fields to the storage places.

But not only that, during the operation the elements have managed to combat extortion, kidnappings, homicides and other crimes related to the production and commercialization of this product.

Hours earlier, the Sedena killed two alleged criminals and injured another, seized a vehicle and seized six weapons, the confrontation originated some 30 kilometers from the site.

Gerardo Zavala González, president of the Parácuaro Lemon Growers Association, said that among the main problems is that drivers transporting lemons to different states of the country are sometimes robbed. “One packer was robbed on the way from Morelia to Querétaro, that is what they face outside the municipality, being stopped and robbed. Another packer told me that he was also robbed in Maravatío. We are calmer with the presence of the National Guard, there is more security”.

SOURCE: LA JORNADA 

Categories: Cartel Michoacan Nueva Generacion, CJNG, El Guicho De Los Reyes, Jalisco Cartel New Generation, Juan Jose Farias Alvarez, Los Viagras, Poncho La Quiringua