MICHOACAN, KOMPAS.TV – Hundreds of members of the civil self-defense movement have pledged to help police fight drug cartels.
A total of 500 people gathered in the United Towns or Pueblos Unidos group expressed their promise on Saturday (27/11/2021).
They gathered in the city of Nuevo Urecho, Michoacan State, armed with AR-15s and other weapons.
They say drug cartels such as Viagras and Jalisco have imposed war taxes on avocado farmers of around $2,500 per hectare.
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Tired of taxes and kidnappings, farmers formed the group in 2020, and it is claimed to have had 3,000 members.
“Some of us are victims of this situation, kidnapping and extortion,” said one of the leaders of the self-defense group, who asked not to be named. The Mercury News.
On that occasion, the group was willing to respond to Governor Alfredo Ramirez’s promise to disarm various self-defense groups.
“We have reached an agreement with the mayor to increase police patrols in the area,” the leader said.
“For now we keep our weapons, but we will be vigilant to get out and support the police at all times,” he added.
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