Federal forces fight to restore order as vigilante and cartel forces battle in western Mexico

Mexican police. Photo by Flickr user spotreporting

Federal police in Mexico fought to reestablish order in the western city of Apatzingan Wednesday, as vigilantes continued to battle members of a drug cartel. The latest fighting began after the cartel burned down a pharmacy in the center of the city — a move seen as a symbolic gesture by the cartel to assert their authority over businesses in the city.

According to one pharmacy employee, two men poured gasoline throughout the store and told the workers to leave. Owners of other stores in the city say they have been warned by cartel members to close their businesses or risk having them burned down.

Residents of Apatzingan believe the federal forces are not doing enough to deter the drug cartels. As a result, vigilante forces have risen to fight the cartels themselves. The armed vigilantes have captured multiple towns in Michoacán state — where Apatzingan is located — in order to keep the cartels from terrorizing citizens and businesses in western Mexico.

The federal forces are currently fighting both the violent drug cartels and the vigilantes, whom they have asked to cease their war with the cartels. In addition, the local police forces were considered corrupt and unreliable enough that the federal officers decided to dismantle the entire 300-man force in Apatzingan.

The federal government made some leeway with the vigilantes after the two sides agreed to meet late Tuesday night. Government officials even offered some qualified candidates positions on the police force. But a spokesman for the vigilante group said they were not interested in the government’s offer.

“We don’t want jobs as policemen. We’re fighting for the freedom of our families,” Estanislao Beltran said.

Both the federal government and the vigilantes have set up roadblocks and checkpoints to help maintain peace in the area, but neither group has taken steps to confiscate weapons from civilians.

In recent months, federal forces had arrested vigilantes. And in spite of the recent cooperation between the two sides, there still remains a deep distrust in western Mexico about the federal government’s ability to control the cartels and bring about peace in the region.

A Roman Catholic priest in Apatzingan believes the federal police’s presence is “just a show”.

“Police sent in from outside don’t know where the criminals are,” Rev. Gregorio Lopez said. “We know of 10 warehouses where they are hiding armed men. [Federal police] aren’t going to find them.”

Terrorism of towns and cities by these drug cartels continues to be a problem throughout Mexico. As we reported last summer, Mexican forces are working to tamp down the violence and detain violent cartel leaders.