Mexico can't allow the return of vigilante self-defense groups

Six years ago, the people of Michoacán were at the mercy of criminal groups that were fighting to control the territory. Many stories about abuse and attacks came to light. The local government couldn't stop the powerful criminals and many of them were complicit with the criminal bands . In the face of this lack of authority , groups of armed civilians arose to fill that void. That is how the so-called self-defense groups were created, in order to fulfill security tasks in several areas; in total, 32 groups were created.

The federal government intervened through a special delegate in the state, who managed to dismantle and incorporate the armed civilians as police officers in the municipalities; very few of them turned into criminal bands or joined organized crime.

Six years later, the vigilante self-defense groups are not in the past, they are a reality. In three communities in Michoacán , they are present but their activity is only positive in Coahuayana ; the municipality is one of the most secure locations in the state. In five years, the municipality registered 11 intentional homicide s, two extortion s, and no kidnap s. The armed civilians are trained in criminology and criminalistics , through standards established by the New Penal Justice System .

The vigilante groups also operate in Aquila and La Ruana , where the situation is quite different since the insecurity indexes have increased. Violence, death, kidnaps, and extortions prevail in these areas.

The existence of armed civilians who look to fight crime is a clear sign of weakness from the local governments. This way, government officials don't fulfill the security tasks they were appointed to lead.

The inability, or even worse, the infiltration of criminals into police ranks are the only possible explanations for the official abandonment of the fight against crime . The desperation pushes citizens to arm themselves to protect their families and assets on their own, without expecting aid from the government.

In 2013 , dozens of municipalities in Michoacán where lawless territories dominated by the strongest one. Bringing law back was a long process that took months.

It is not convenient for the government or the country to revive ungovernability scenarios. It would mean that there were no lessons learned. The remaining vigilante groups are a memory of what shouldn’t be repeated.

Mexican prosecutor: vigilantes infiltrated by criminals

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