Blog dedicated to reporting on Mexican drug cartels
on the border line between the US and Mexico
.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Electrical substations, Gas stations attacked in Michoacan and Morelia, also Water Facility and Wells Damaged in Morelia

Borderland Beat
Assailants early Sunday blew up at least twelve electrical power plants in Michoacan in one of Mexico's most troubled states, triggering blackouts that gunmen then used as cover to torch gasoline stations, residents and authorities said.

The attacks in Michoacan state, west of the capital, did not cause deaths or serious injuries, authorities said. But they served as a pointed reminder of the strength of drug gangs and other criminals.

Shortly after midnight, attackers armed with Molotov cocktails almost simultaneously disabled electrical substations in at least twelve cities and towns in Michoacan, plunging an estimated 1 million people into darkness. The power was out for 15 -18 hours.
CFE in Sahuayo
CFE in Sahuayo
Simultaneously, groups attacked four gas stations in Morelia, one in Apatzingán and another in Patzcuaro, Michoacan, again without any injuries.

Gunmen then torched four gasoline stations, and two in the state capital of Morelia, a popular tourist destination. a pump was burned down in Francisco I. Madero de Apatzingán Avenue and another on the Morelia-Uruapan Highway, 10 kilometers from Patzcuaro, where there was also damage to a convenience store.
The delegation of the Attorney General's Office (PGR) reported that a damage was detected 18 electrical substations, 6 gas station Michoacan and Morelia, as well as there were water facility attacks in Morelia. The mechanical, electrical, operating system for the treatment of drinking water was damaged at the Mintzita Spring. At the Morelia in Salamanca, Guanajuato, where an important plant  is located, the aggressors didn't detonate bombs against any mechanism, but more than 100 petrol bombs were found at the scene.

Along with the attacks to on the CFE electrical plants, the attacks affected the operation of 14 wells in Morelia. There was damage to the water treatment plant of La Mintzita, which supplies water to 35 per cent of the population,  This led to several colonias not receiving water on Sunday, said a  water, and sanitation and sewerage official. Augusto Arriaga Caire, director of water utility and waste water(OOAPAS) reported that after the power outage in 14 wells and Mintizita treatment plant for a period of 16 hours, energy was restored at 18:00 hours on Sunday, and immediately began trial assessment  investigation including computer synchronization, in order restart and restore water service in the city of Morelia.
Michoacan for years has been controlled either by the Knights Templar or its predecessor La Familia Michoacan cartels that specialize in methamphetamine distribution to the United States and have controlled many city halls and police departments. 

More recently, groups of citizens have taken up weapons forming self defense groups to protect communities from CT infiltration and domination.

MILENIO consulted state and federal sources who estimated 420, 000 people were left without electric power for about 18 hours, up to seven in the evening. The service in some affected areas was restored 95 percent.The assaulted CFE electric substations are located in Morelia, Apatzingán, Zamora, La Piedad, Ciudad Hidalgo, Uruapan, Sahuayo Tarímbaro, Zinapécuaro, Queréndaro, Tuxpan and Aguililla.

The first calls for help were received by the Michoacan emergency services at 11:45 am Saturday, and the last at 3:07 pm on Sunday, all were anonymous.

The only case where there was a confirmed exchange of gun fire during these fire bombings was in Morelia between security guarding the government electric facilities and the assailants. The firefight lasted about ten minutes.

After the confrontation and the flight of the suspects, on a sidewalk 
authorities found boxes with a total of 131 petrol bombs.

Simultaneously, other groups attacked petrol stations in Morelia, one in Apatzingán and another in Patzcuaro, again without any injuries.

Mexican Army troops and Federal Police, supported by state troopers, activated a special safety protocal, both to try to 
to protect power generating facilities in the area and to locate and catch the suspects.

Federal authorities said they were sending hundreds of police and military troops to reinforce security in the region. The attacks came two days after the state's governor, Fausto Vallejo, resumed duties after a long illness leading some to wonder if it was a protest of some sort.

Local Government Secretary Jaime Mares, revealed that the federal government offered full backing to Michoacan to strengthen security, and said a coordinated action will restore power supply in all the affected areas.
In an interview with Oscar Mario Beteta, for Radio Times, the state official said they can not say whether the attack was a result of a drug war and self-defense groups.

- Should the attack in principle be considered terrorist?

- As we get further along, elements of the state's attorney will investigate and determine the corresponding commentaries.
- Are other groups involved like "Familia Michoacana", "Zetas", "Nueva Gente", besides the "Knights Templar"?

- At this time we can not make claims of this nature, since investigations have just started a few hours ago.

On the possibility that the attacks are related to the rise to power of Fausto Vallejo, Jaime Mares said that there is no relationship.

"Naturally they are events that have nothing to do with it, unfortunate facts but they have no relationship," he said.
Gas station in Morelos, Morelia
Hours later, the delegation of the Attorney General's Office announced a preliminary investigation has been underway since the early morning in order to determine who commissioned and perpetrated these crimes, the state attorney shall assist in the field.
In a telephone interview with MILENIO, Gerardo Rodríguez Sánchez-Lara, an expert on terrorism and national security, said that these offenses of sabotage have the potential ingredients of of terrorism,he asked that the government of Michoacan not underestimate their severity..

The advisor also the Department of Defense and Semar considered these attacks may be due to the actions undertaken by preventive and enforcement authorities, 
which has been accused of exhibiting certain signs of weakness against organized crime.

Even academic researchers did not rule out the possibility of evaluating the loss of control, meaning the loss of the state of Michoacan power and the progress of criminal groups in the conquest of all kinds of areas.

"The only thing we can conclude ... is that the organized criminals are winning the battle against federal and state authorities," Miguel Angel Chavez, head of the opposition National Action Party, told the Quadratin news agency, and also that the violence of the last 24 hours was a terrorist attack.
It has been suggested that Mexico is experiencing a so-called narco-insurgency, in which criminal groups seek to attack the state in order to gain total autonomy and control over their territory. The Knights Templar in particular position themselves as a popular social movement, and if it is true they were behind the attacks, then the use such tactics echoes methods used by insurgencies like Colombia's leftist guerrillas.

The Catholic Church demanded that the federal government restore the rule of law in Michoacan and investigate which mayors are linked to cartels including an investigation into Michoacan Governor Fausto Vallejo who is in collusion with organized crime.

- In the editorial of the weekly Desde La Fe from the Catholic Church, it took up position of removing impunity:  La Familia Michoacan, Los Zetas, Nueva Gente and CTs murder, kidnap, extort fees from those faithful to the religion with absolute impunity

- "Local governments and police are under or in collusion with criminals, and it grows increasingly with the ever-present rumor that the state government is also in the service of organized crime, causing despair and disillusionment in society, especially because they know where they hide and do nothing to stop them."
Three Detained in "The Vandalism"

Federal police captured three men allegedly linked to the attacks on gas stations and facilities of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) occurred over the weekend in Michoacan, said Monday the Security Cabinet spokesman, Eduardo Sanchez Hernandez.

Those arrested are David Contreras and Miguel Angel Armenta, both 25, and Miguel Piedra Ortiz, 55, said the official.

All three are hospitalized in condition "stable" for injuries sustained when the vehicle rolled over attempting to flee, said Sanchez Hernandez to read a statement in a press conference where no questions were allowed media.

The official said that the detainees can provide data on who carried out the attacks and why.


Two other people who "allegedly thought to be involved in the vandalism" were killed during a clash with soldiers, said Sanchez Hernandez without specifying details as the date and place of the incident.

Stop the Caballeros and End Impunity

Community leaders of the Mexican state of Michoacan urged the Government Knights Templar, after a weekend of clashes with community defense groups and attacks on electrical installations.

The leader of community police in the municipality of Buenavista, Hipolito Mora, told Efe that "there is a lot of tension in the area" after attacks Sunday by the criminal group against community policing, electrical substations, and six stations.

Mora reported that the military since last Friday of the municipalities of Aguilla, Coalcoman, Tepalcatepec and Buenavista and retreated in Apatzingán stronghold of the Knights Templar and where the Zone 43 military base is located.

He noted that the siege of the Knights Templar prohibited fuel, medicine and food from reaching those municipalities continues, civic groups have taken up arms to defend against that group that emerged in December 2010 as a spinoff of the La Familia Michoacana cartel.

Council leader of Tepalcatepec Citizen Community Self Defense, Jose Mireles, said Saturday about 3000 community police officers entered Apatzingán "100% unarmed" to protest against the blockade imposed by the criminal organization.

In retaliation, the Knights Templar attacked during the early hours of Sunday "at four different points at the same time on our defensive positions in Aguilla," he told MVS radio station.

"Those who were guarding the trenches answered aggression", which lasted three hours, Mireles said, adding that members of the community police of nearby towns came to help repel the attack.

The confrontation killed "12 Templars" and "one of our peers," a young man of 16 years, said the leader, although officially the balance remains in five deaths.
Mireles complained of impunity enjoyed by the Knights Templar in the region, where the armed forces "can not control organized crime."

The Knights Templar "challenge the state permanently" meanwhile, "you do not see anyone federal authorities react," reported Selene Vazquez state legislator, who asked the government to stop simulating and end impunity.

Secretary of local Government of Michoacán, Jaime Mares Camarena said the electricity was restored to 100% in the state and said that the Army and the Federal Police protects the premises of the Federal Commission of Electricity (CFE) to avoid new attacks.

He added that the government is on alert in other strategic installations in the state, but declined to identify them.

The community policing were born in February in the Tierra Caliente region, named for its temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius, and long before the wave of kidnappings, murders, extortion and other crimes in the area for the Knights Templar.

The band, known to own synthetic drug laboratories, use Michoacan's more than 270 kilometers of coastline other Pacific Ocean, to receive shipments of cocaine and other drugs from South America.

muchísimas gracias a Chivis for the video and extra photos, and Jack for supplemental material

Milenio, Milenio, LA Times, CNN, InsightCrime, Proceso, Jornada, Mimorelia,Univision

49 comments:

  1. its amazing how the federal government conducts a publicity/propaganda campaign about how safe mexico is... meanwhile things are reaching new levels. this is in the week before dia de los muertos and probably the biggest celebration in patzquaro all year. sounds like Syria, Iraq or Afghanistan to me. who want to vacation in those places.

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  2. In northwest Morelia here, we were without water for 3 days. Everyone talks about power. Water needs power.

    This was a successful terrorist attack by CT. They hit everyone. Everyone felt it.

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    1. Yes from Morelia too snd I wondered if the beat would catch our well problems cause of the attacks. It was BS that they had that handled quickly. It was 2-4 days. Still many are boiling water. Good coverage. Sharp observation.

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  3. CJNG Sure have been quiet in Mich... if they not behind the CP then so much for all that bideo propaganda they made claiming they were gonna clean Mich.

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  4. Pinche tuta hora si cagaste la banana...

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  5. Viva Mexico !
    Tourists please come :-))))

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  6. That will give me something to do today Havana. Thank you.

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  7. Terrorists.

    Justice needs to be delivered at the barrel of a gun.

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  8. Have to say I agree with that Bishop of Apatzingan-mich is a failed state

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  9. Appears to me that the Mexican Government has let these crime organizations do what they want when they wanted and now they have no control of them. They need to start treating these organizations like terrorist groups and they need to start jailing any and all officials who help them in any manner.

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  10. nooooooo!!!! not salamanca!!!!!

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  11. Amazing government assessment objectively saying the good guys are powerless, and are losing control to the bad guys like they have no responsibility for either supporting the CT and not helping he good people of Mich who have been struggling with this situation themselves and having to Put up with infiltrated government, police forces and army! I think given the year 2013, all the educational resources and all else available to the Mexican gov- if they truly wanted a narc free gobernment- could they do it? I don't know but I do know they should be so ashamed

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  12. Hi from London Chivis! This is really out of control. Hiring narcos to stage a counter rally my friend said on FB and throwing grenades and shooting! My God. U guys have advanced past BDN in coverage

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  13. They did NOT restore water until anoche-i guess one official was typically vague. The water problem was far worse than stated in Morelia. My mother was majorly put out. If most Americans had any idea-they would never go to Patzcuaro for El Dia de los Muertos-don't stop coming

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  14. Who really is behind this??? Narcos have a lot of money, did they need to use home made gasoline bombs, don't they have a few extra grenades?
    What about the uncontrolable marxist students from the Normal school in Tirepetio. They frequently hijack buses truck and private and public vehicles and burn them.
    What about guerrilla movement, Michoacan has a long history of such activities.
    What about radical unions or fanatic religious groups or even the plan old mafia?
    This is a very complicated situation, not black and white.

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    Replies
    1. The students are not Marxist,they just want a plaza as teachers when they graduate,with all the perks,a la chucky...

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  15. Pura gente creida en mich, no que muy machos....ellos mismos estan destruyendo sus ranchos. Aqui en U.S a los michoacanos solo les importa traer troca del año y hacer la quinceañera mas grandes que se puedan. Inches nacos.

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  16. Never heard of anyone wanting to visit morelia, not after getting to know michoacans people. Tourists want a sandy beach, cold beer, good tacos, tasty margaritas and beatiful women. None of that is found in morelia or anywhere in that s.hole. atte. Tarasco

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  17. Que quemen todo, prefiero ir a cd victoria, matamoros, cadereyta o laredo que a ese mugrero de estado llamado mich.

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  18. Replies
    1. 2:16 my girlfriend who is Asian asked me if it was true that Mexicans make,eat,and like "Queso de Chihuahuas",she can't believe Mexicans are like that,and I can't believe I got owned like that...I wonder what else the world thinks of Mexicans...

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  19. This is war plain and simple. Mexico is in a state of war.

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  20. What kind of backhand compliment was that-don't be riling up Chivas over being called Lucy again! Chivas needs her rest but not her beauty sleep by the looks of it last week.

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  21. Dr. Mireles, what great Leader, and very Brave to take on the Govt. and cartels. Maybe could relpace Pena or better Obama

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  22. Poor,Poor, Mexico & poor Mexicans ...... Mainstream media, worldwide media , no one gives a damn about Mexico or poor Mexicans.
    Dr. Mierles has diplomatically pleaded for international help which no one cares. Believe me , international groups have been notified. Just go to World news its all about Syria & Egypt and Africa. No one gives a f**** about mexico or poor Mexicans . Dissolve them in acid , hang them from over passes, dismember them , creamate them,extort them, rape them & no one gives a damn . Normally I do not make gestures to supreme being. But, God Bless Dr. Mierles and his people and all the poor people that have fallen victim to this mayhem that has taken over Mexico . You tried diplomatically to get your pleas out for help. It fell on deaf ears who could care less . Best of wishes and what is left of hope to you and the Mexican people living in the infierno & silent war.

    Mexico is a whorehouse where the revolutionary ideas of your forefathers
    are corrupted and sold in alleys by vendors of capitalism .
    There are not any Russians and there aint no Yanks
    Just corporate criminals playing with tanks.

    I of all know ... a victim-survivor of violence in Mexico
    Excommunicated from society
    Cyber bullied . All in the name of Human rights & humanity

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    1. 6:28 who cyber bullied you?,how?
      How old are you?,there is help you know?
      Maybe some bloggers can tell you where to get help,best wishes...

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  23. Chivas & Havana Pura & all involved in BB are the greatest to get the word out. But, after 7-8 years of Hell for poor Mexicans . Not the handlebar suit wearing Chilangos. Mexicans still die at the hands of thugs . And yet nothing ,nothing has been done to stop the mayhem . How many must die?
    How many must be decapitated ? When will it stop? Mexico is the ultimate horror movie. All just miles south of the U.S. . And yet all we see is news from Egypt /Africa/Syria. Thanks BB you have done an honorable journalistic duty.

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    1. 6:36 chilangos don't have handlebars,the lucky ones have the cantinflas,and after loooong years of suffering it goes to chema tamales lenght.by the way chilangos are not Mexican,they are invaders trying to steal the presidency,just because it's there,ssshh!

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  24. Assailants ? You mean Terrorists. And they should be dealt with as Terrorists are dealt with anywhere else in the world. And the people
    protecting them should be dealt with too. Its gone too far . Its not about green plants anymore.

    "Mexico is a whorehouse where the revolutionary ideals of your forefathers… are corrupted and sold in alleys by vendors of capitalism"

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  25. to the reader sending info that he/she did not want published. Of the three photos you sent..which is the key player? left, center or right?

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  26. Thats some dope digi camo, thats how you know someone aint broke, they can plasti peel their whole car

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  27. I dont kow guys, this is some shady ass gvt you guys have down there, you need to send someone to the U.N to bring the spotlight into focus on your areas if you cant get your country's national, or even state gvt to help. You can go to kickstarter.com or some online escrow place to help manage the fundsto get someone to new york, maybe even look into howyou can get help from the F.F.L for a more skilled and battle hardened and proven military approach

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  28. The reason no one seems to care about mexico and mexicans is probably because of their experience with them here in the US, most if not all will rarely engage someone outside of their group, some do but that is a rare thing, but, they are usually pretty silently rude, they crowd you when they are in line, they dont give a fuck if someone is hurt, if someone has been in an accident they just zoom by not even looking, and if they do happen to be standing around, if you ask someone for help or a phone to call the cops or an ambulance, they just look at you like you are on tv. If they change their baby's diaper in a parking lot, they just throw the shit unwrapped up on the ground, hell I worked with some guys from cuba, and mexico, the mexicans and the cubanos alwayslooked at each other sideways, so fucking stupid. The mexicans werend stupid by any stretch they just came off as anti-social. Hell remember a few weeks ago. The woman that was denied ambulatory medical help when she was in labor, that shit telegraphs, people see that. People outside your country see that regular people deny others who are less fortunate basic human rights. Those nurses wouldnt have gotten in "trouble" like they like to say, they just didn't give a fuck.. and thats why your pleas to people outside of your country have fallen on deaf ears. To others, mexicans come off as uncaringand callous

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    1. 12:53 not all Mexicans are like that,and not all Americans get treated like that,I am mexican and have had many big problems with a few guys and even women,but I would never accuse all the Americans of any bigotry whatsoever,even jealous husbands talk nice to me,and I don't think that is because of fear...

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  29. Aren't Pemex franchises away to launder the cash.

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  30. chato. he's been w Z then Jn G. now CQ
    status = the can but still in charge

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  31. hold on to that info. research the area.

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  32. chvs dnt b dmb yll gt us morte. borra 139 & 150. no te boy a poder darr info. si nos pones en peligro

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    1. 4:48 Ya te agarraron y ya te chingaste...
      Hector de Mauleon:presunto culpable

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  33. This article is full of information and must have taken hours to put together. I look at the stories lately on BB and there is such an interesting mix. Something for everyone and more.

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  34. "Tourists want a sandy beach, cold beer, good tacos, tasty margaritas and beautiful women."

    You sound like a fucking peasant! Tourists, the monied kind, want cultura, and experiences they can't get at home. anyone can get cold beer, good tacos, tasty margaritas, and beautiful women anywhere in half the USA, and and beach in 20 percent of the USA. TOURISTS, NOT PEASANTS LIKE YOU, WANT TO SEE JUNGLES, MOUNTAIN TOPS, ANCIENT CULTURES, ETC ETC...PINCHE PLEBE IGNORANTE, Y AUN CREDIO! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!1AQUI PARA MICHOACAN, GENTE GRANDE!

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    1. The gringas go to Mexico looking for Latin lovers and all they find is short paunchy taqueros with very little dainty feet on tennis shoes,all the big men,huarachones are on the us,and getting paid

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  35. "Que quemen todo, prefiero ir a cd victoria, matamoros, cadereyta o laredo que a ese mugrero de estado llamado mich."

    Yo creo, que to chingo la vieja uno de michoacan...tanto odio

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  36. Tourism ????? Mexico ??????? No thanks, that's like a steak dinner and caviar on Sunday evening behind Dachau concentration kamp 1943 . I cannot or will not indulge in any of these things while others suffer at the hands of sanctioned & sponsored evil that could be stopped in its tracks but no one wants to give the order to do so. Sad but true . It could all be stopped but Mexican officails are to preoccupied checking TVIP's on vehicles entering the country. Drink Margaritas at home or in Europe or South America. !!!!!!

    Mexico had its chance in 1910-1920 and let it fall back into the corrupt hands that ruled it before.
    And yet they still live on revolutionary ideas of their forefathers which are now sold in alleyways by vendors of capitalism.

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    1. Correction...they are sold in quiet dark rooms,as told by some vulture offshoring capitalist entrepreneur.
      In the back alleys they may find a kidnapping maruchanero or worse...

      Delete
  37. The big boys of vulture capitalism do not care about the plantations any more,or the rabble happily singing in the banana republics,they want to formally reclaim ownership of the former colonies and Dominions by any means necessary, side casualties do not matter...

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