Blog dedicated to reporting on Mexican drug cartels
on the border line between the US and Mexico
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Thursday, January 23, 2014

Self-Defense Leader from U.S. Tells Why He Joined the Fight

El Americano also known as Comandante Simón, Self-Defense Group
(Photo: Iván Sánchez)


DD.  Yesterday I posted an article from La Jornada, about some Caballero Templars alleged turncoats who had joined the self defense groups.  Today La Jornada published an article showing another glimpse of the composition of the self-defense groups – a used car dealer from the US, known as “el Americano”,  joining the fight against the Templars.

Related story posted on Forum by Nuttz.
 
La Jornada: Arturo Cano
Translated  by Jane Brundage, from Mexico Voices

El Americano carries his life on his chest: a large crucifix and a fanny pack where, one assumes, he keeps grenades. He was born in Los Angeles. His children and ex-wife live in Texas, which is nothing unusual for a state whose governors used to boast: ''We have three million Michoacanos in the United States,'' as if it were a great feat.

But El Americano is also Comandante Simón in the self-defense group. Before, he only used to come to the community fiestas. He arrived driving vehicles from his used-car business in California and so he says, ''they thought that I was working in another way."

The suspicion cost him three levantones ["seizures"; kidnappings].

''The first time it was for clarification [of who I was]. The second was because they weren't satisfied, so they took 300,000 pesos [USD $22,580]. The third time it was 2 million pesos [USD $150,535]. In order to be able to pay it, I had to sell property.''


The third time, in October of 2012, was the charm because it coincided with the news that La Ruana and Tepalcatepec were preparing to rise up against The Knights Templar


El Americano and a trusted friend went to join the conspirators. Something that didn't go unnoticed by the eyes and ears of the cartel. Nothing remains of the friend. A witness to the crime says


"Who knows how many clips they emptied, but they left everything in shreds.'' 



We Rise Up and Then Celebrate

The next step was to contact Dr. José Manuel Mireles in order to learn the date ''of the uprising,'' which was February 24, 2013.



"Let's see what gets done, but there will be celebration.''



El Americano, a resident of the municipality of Buenavista, Michoacán, walks around the roads accompanied by his bodyguards. They are several tough guys full of jokes, and they have one motto: ''We are not afraid.'' The oldest is 21.
La Jornada: You could be in the United States living a secure life [as a U.S. citizen]. Why are you here?

"Because if you don't join, what is your family going to think? That when they needed you the most you were not there by their side? They have spent a lifetime living here in Michoacán. Although I might have been born in the United States, at heart I'm Michoacano. My family is here, my brothers."


La Jornada: How do you see the way President Enrique Peña Nieto has faced this problem, compared with Felipe Calderón?

"Calderón is the only president who has done something against organized crime. Now it's pure corruption. It isn't seen that they're arresting anyone. 

"We have been fighting for ten months asking him to give us one of the main narco bosses, and [in return] we offer to hand over our weapons. What they didn't do in ten years, we are doing in ten months."

La Jornada: Why did the government prevent you from reaching Apatzingán?

"It was very weird. The government reinforced Apatzingán so we couldn't enter. Could it be an economic arrangement, or what was it? We don't know. 

"Since they didn't want us to enter, the government is now responsible for everything that happens in Apatzingán, where they [Templars] continue to burn things right in front of them. 

"Why? Because they don't know who they are (members of The Knights Templar). But the people talk to us. Then there's what's-his-name and also the Federal Police and the military, and they don't do anything."

La Jornada: In many places, above all outside the Tierra Caliente, it is said that The Templars still have the support of the people.

"Where they [Templars] still are, the people continue supporting them because they are afraid. They are afraid because they are right next to them, so they can't say anything. Then when we [self-defense group] arrive, we realize how they were, how they lived and the pleasure it gives them that they [The Knights Templar] are gone."



La Jornada: Do you definitely have the support of the people?

"If the people accept you, forget that they'll disarm you. And we tell them that we don't want them to go out with nothing more than a club, with a broom, to defend us from the military. They are the ones who always want protect us. So we are able to advance calmly."



La Jornada: The government says that with the forces it has now deployed in the region, it has control.

"According to them, they did what they had to do. They already took possession of everything, and now they say everything is peaceful. It is a vicious lie. Take a good look at what the government says, because honestly ..., the same people will be responsible for running them off, no matter how many there are.

"There can be many feds, but with a few people from the town we could run them off if we wanted to. Right now we are giving them space to take the headquarters, to patrol around the town halls in their vehicles, but we will not continue to do it if they begin to want to arrest us for things that they say but that are not [the case]." 



La Jornada: What would be the conditions for handing over your weapons?

"If they arrest the four main narco bosses: Kike Plancarte, El Chayo, La Tuta and El Tío.



La Jornada: Do you believe that the problem would really end with these arrests?

"Yes, because they are not going to have the one who pays them."




La Jornada: What do you do here?

"I'm in agriculture, milking and sale of cheese. Let's see how it goes to keep scrambling for gasoline, because this war is very expensive."

#l Americano displaying pistol he says was confiscated from Templars
  La Jornada: That's what many people ask themselves: where do the self-defense groups get their resources?

"From the ejidatarios, people who don't have the courage to grab a weapon, but they definitely have the courage to support us financially, with gasoline and from time to time with a cow."



La Jornada: What are you asking from Peña Nieto?

"That they stop the corruption, that they do their jobs well so we can retire and continue working peacefully, as we are now, because we have our own security."



La Jornada: Had you handled weapons?

"In the hunting of deer and rabbit, 308 mm shotguns. And hunting mourning doves, because that's how to develop a good aim."



La Jornada: Cartel members were your neighbors, you've probably known them since childhood. Is that so?

"I know most of them. So they go around wanting to find me and my family, in order to hurt me, because we know the gullies, where they run, where they hide, and that is their anger, so one of them goes and tells the government."



Senior Officers Support Us

La Jornada: Some think that a rival cartel is financing you.

"It's okay to ask that question. They say the Jalisco cartel supports us, and it is a vile lie. A colonel in the Army started to support me. I can't say the name but senior officers are supporting us. 

"I said to him,'That you might not be in doubt, when you go to the neighboring areas of Jalisco, and you look at those people. If you ask for our support, we are going to give it. 

"If, in the future, the New Generation [Jalisco cartel] wants to enter and begins to hurt us, we are going to fight them, and if it is possible we are going to get into it there. We already showed them when we made it into one part of Jalisco (Las Lomas)'."

La Jornada: In many places The Templars fled without giving battle. It is believed that their strength might be intact.

"They have not shown what they are, because they know that we are not going to stop, and wherever they might want [to go,] we will advance. [For example, say:] There is a family of them and there is us, who know who is hurting us. We're going to run this family out. What is he going to do? Where is he going to take them? Take them there to the hills?"

38 comments:

  1. Go get them Comandante Americano, dales en la madre a esos TEMPLARIOS LACRAS. These CT's are some of the most worst hypocrites in the world. La tierra es de la quien la trabaja, ya les llego su hora.

    ReplyDelete
  2. SELGAN AL TOPON PINCHE PERROS DEL C.O, TENIE HUEVOS CON LOS NINOS Y NINAS Y MUJERS PERO CUANDO LOS HOMBRES LEVANTA ARMAS, PARA DONDE VAN HIJOS DE SU PINCHE MADRE. PINCHE GOVERNO DE MEX MAS CORRUPTO QUE NADA, ESTO ES COMO PABLO ESCOBER EN COLUMIBA.. AUTO DEFENSAS SIGUEN,
    (ATTENTION GENTE DEL ESTADO DE G.T.O) LISTOS PARA ASER AUTODENFENSA PARA ACA ESTAN ESTOS PERROS DEL C.O.
    PARA UN FUTURO LIBERE, PARA LOS NINOS Y GENTE DE MEX.
    EL MEXICANO

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Deja ke te caigan a ti pendejo aber si bas estar tan listo.. mejor agarra un pinche rifle y be apoya los comunitarios inbes de andar escribiendo pendejadas al fin ke con tu opinion no cambias nada imbesil.. as de ser un pinche pocho de aseguro

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  3. Get him dea he's in the spot light el paso most wanted

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  4. Ive heard a few stories about americano, how they kidnapped templarios kids to return the favor. It's war and i so wish i could support the movement financially

    ReplyDelete
  5. fanny back you assume he keeps his grenades??? why the story is good you dont need to play up the rambo and bullshit just write it the way it should be plain and simple I assumed he kept his tortas o smokes maybe even energy bars but then you know what that say about assuming something

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    Replies
    1. 12:57 fanny packs are called MARICONERAS in mexico, they look too gay, really...

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  6. God Bless the Americano. Yo soy Gringo Viejo

    ReplyDelete
  7. Is he wanted in the U.S.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would think they would ban you from the US if you participated in armed combat and training in a foreing soil..what do you think chivis?

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    2. Only if you fight against a friendly foreign army.

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    3. If you fight against an allie army you are not then able to enter the us?

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  8. A mi No me importa si los de jalisco lo apoyan el chiste es que ya no se pasen de verga con la gente comun y corriente

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  9. Gringo Viejo, you said it!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Im on my way next month on vacation y a volar sombreros de estas ratas. Michoacan no se raja cabrones.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Los bergasos de verdad no son como los del playstation.. mejor cayese el osico me cae ke nunca as matado ni una iguana ora vas a kerer yegar paka como rambo hahaaa ponte mejor a estudiar

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  11. Animo gente de michoacan, your a shining example of courage and valor, keep going till u Get the prize. saludos de la gente de chihuahua

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  12. There may be some people in government trying to contain their corruption from past dealings with the cartels, like the burning of documents Apatzingan city hall. It's only a matter of time your corruption gets exposed !!! I'm glad to hear some Generals are choosing to side with the peoples movement and helping clean out these cartel scum.

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  13. 308 mm shotgun is one helluva piece.

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    Replies
    1. 308 is rifle ammo not shotgun maybe they meant a 308 and a shotgun

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  14. Where can we donate?? Enough talk..
    Can't we help them financially?

    ReplyDelete
  15. These guys influence is so strong that they have Almost killed all the CT leaders jajajaja! Not one leader is gonna fall and after they waste their time and money Señor Servando Gomez will come and reign like always. You guys can dream all you want. There will always be criminals,why not follow one with logic El Profe. Viva la Tuta!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are officially an idiot, the citizens will prevail and the cartel scum will no longer have a place of refuge in the auto defensa towns. The coward Templarios have shown their true colors. They can kill defenseless innocent people with their hands and feet tied but will run and hide like the dirty rats that they are when confronted by grown men with guns and big balls. Tuta is so in charge thats why he is hiding from they very own townspeople he supposedly helps. I bet if he and his men walked into town without weapons the town would probably hang them all!!! Thats how loved he is!!!

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    2. Yea they fight defenseless people.. i suposed the ambushed comunitarios were unarmed too.. when they shoot out with the feds i supose tje feds were also unarmed ? Todos son una puta bola de chismosos.. todos tenemos un pariente o amigo templario.. apoco sera tan lacra como disen todos?? Puta bola de ojetes

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  16. What goverments should relize is that the people form of the country and any goverment position is replacable at anytime since, We the people ellect you to represent us. The question is how long till you figure it out that if you dont do what the people want they will do it them selves and then turn on you and your family for being a trader.

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  17. To me, the story strongly suggest that the US is now "unofficially" involved in the people's struggle.... The Mainstream Media (MSM) in the US should be very embarrass for studiously ignoring the momentous events that have been concurring in Michoacab, Guerrero, and elsewhere where Mejicanos are fed up with criminals of all kinds, corrupt government, police, military... and criminal organizations.


    Given the millions of legal and illegal immigrants living in the US, the silence of the MSM is puzzling as Hell!

    Here we have virtual scale 9 earthquake in Mexico and hardly any attention in the MSM .... hummm, I wonder why?

    Mexico Watcher.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The guys from the BB forum have been telling us all along with the articles/stories they've been posting why the mainstream media ignores what's going on Michoacan. Gary Webb lost his journalistic career when he started exposing complicity with drug narcos/trafficking within the U.S.A. and Mexico govt. Once Gary Webb exposed the corruption the msn went silent. Remember that the same people who own these media conglomerates also own multinational corporations or support their fellow elites. The wealth trickles down to them also. Mexico is right next to us yet they give way more coverage to Syria. Before 9/11 $2.3 trillion Pentagon funds were unaccounted for. During 9/11 $300 bil. in Kuwaiti gold went missing. Multi. co. vultures, banksters, Wall St., and narco traffickers, and those that abett them have a lot to lose if the people of Mexico revolt against organized/authorized crime.

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    2. Covert means just that. IF US citizens are helping people the Mxn government itself keeps trying to set back, who wants US MSM around? The wrong people would know every move before you make it. Remember we're speaking of a "friendly" government & neighbor that told the US they will handle things.

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    3. Watch "BIGGEST DRUG DEALERS- DEA / BIGGEST ARMS DEALERS-ATF" on YouTube
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k0z1-njY8o&feature=youtube_gdata_player

      Delete
  18. dr Mireles new video has donation information

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPycdMOxUu8&list=UUofCm1vazOtrJu51EgF1hLA&feature=c4-overview

    ReplyDelete
  19. 7:00PM also the reader does not know Mexican History :)
    autodefensas have been successful permanently in multiple state for over a hundred years. What is difficult is when government is in collusion with cartels and try to stop momentum. But it is always that way and it just serves to gain more support.

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  20. l Americano displaying pistol he says was confiscated from Templars fuck americano he shit tell him to come to cd juarez so we can pick his ass up where waiting on you puto we know you working in are city and you run like a puta to Mich !!! He running from place to place running soon you will have no where to go puta hes like a dog in the streets looking to see who wants me!!!

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    Replies
    1. Why wait on him,tough guy.go see him,and then tell us how it went,that is if your alive,ja,ja.

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    2. British intelligence m16,mi5,run the world drug trade,under their management is all pther intel,cia,kgb,mossad, etc.the cartels according to ex mi6 agent on rense.com

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  21. Do not ever give up your weapons Citizens of Mexico. Being unarmed does NOT make your society polite and safe. The proof is in the pudding.

    It is a God given right to be able to defend yourselves.

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  22. Shouldn't worry so much about cartels. Mexico is in the state that they need home grown terrorism. Time for the blood of "politicians" to flow. They need to be humbled by fear

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  23. Doy testimonio de un gran hombre llamado (druwagbale@gmail.com) que me trajo a mi ex después de 1 año de divorcio en contacto con él hoy en día es capaz de resolver cualquier problema de la suya. que se especializan en de la siguiente manera: (1) hechizos para protegerse del peligro (2) hechizos mágicos (3) del mismo sexo Love Spell (4) los hechizos de sanación (5) hechizos de invisibilidad (6) Hechizo de riqueza y la fama (7) Hechizo para conseguir un buen trabajo (8) arrojado fuerte el amor y la relación (9) de hechizos para traer de vuelta a su ex (10) el VIH, el SIDA (11) SI QUIERE ADOPTAR UN NIÑO SIN CALLE (12) ¿QUIERES SER RICO O quieres para realizar rituales Él está teniendo grandes potencias y generous.You puede ponerse en contacto con él (druwagbale@gmail.com) ser útil sin enfatizar juez hoy

    ReplyDelete

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