Posted on 01/13/2014 4:51:01 PM PST by smokingfrog
Mexico's government on Monday pledged to take control of a violent western state after days of fighting between masked vigilantes and members of one of the country's most powerful drug cartels.
Since late last year, vigilante groups in the state of Michoacan have moved deeper into territory controlled by the Knights Templar cartel and they now are converging on Apatzingan, considered one of gang's main strongholds.
The vigilantes' advance has raised the risk of a bloody urban battle in Apatzingan. Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong on Monday urged the vigilante groups to withdraw from the battleground so federal forces could take control.
"Be certain that we will contain the violence in Michoacan," Osorio Chong said at an event in the state capital of Morelia.
President Enrique Pena Nieto, who just ended his first year in office, has sought to shift the public focus away from grinding violence and onto a series of economic reforms he has pushed through a divided Congress.
But a steady stream of killings that plagued his predecessor's term continues, and the deepening crisis in Michoacan is beginning to cast doubt on his ability to maintain order. Drug trafficking gangs have been waging battles over trafficking routes for the last decade.
(Excerpt) Read more at uk.reuters.com ...
There was a time when we had little in the way of taxpayer funded law enforcement in this country and that lack was covered by citizens.
Does “we will contain the violence in Michoacan” mean that they will eliminate the cartels?
“Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong”
Oh that’s rich! Probably “related” to Tommy Chong of Cheech and Chong fame. I mean what’s next, Fernando Kitajima for El Presidente!
Good points.
I doubt it.
If the gov’t was protecting the subjects, the subjects wouldn’t have to take things into their own hands.
Let that be a lesson to the current administration. I’m glad these folks were able to arm themselves.
Mexican govt wants vigilantes to stop because the govt is working with the Drug Cartels
Yeah. No shit.
If disarmed Mexican vigilantes can take on the cartels, and incite a plea for peace from the federales, imagine what fear we well armed American patriots strike in the heart of the socialist overlord.
> If disarmed Mexican vigilantes can take on the cartels, and incite a plea for peace from the federales, imagine what fear we well armed American patriots strike in the heart of the socialist overlord.
I have heard they are “concerned” which translated probably means they’re not sure who’s stupid enough to follow them over the cliff anymore...
“Mexico urges vigilantes to stand down in drug gang conflict”
I figured this was exactly what the outcome was going to be when I read articles a few weeks ago that said the Mexican government was going to help locals who had banned together and had successfully gone after the cartels running amock because the authorities were doing nothing to stop the criminals that were attacking the good folk across the board.
This is a good reminder of the reason for the 2nd Amendment, and just who is the militia it talks about. And why we need it.
If the vigilantes are successful in rooting out the Cartel, the Federales are worried they’ll be next.
Guess that means the vigilantes are winning; can’t have that....
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