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Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Ostula Attacked: Autodefensa Leader Ambushed




Photo by: Heriberto Paredes

By: Heriberto Paredes | Translated by Valor for Borderland Beat

On the morning of May 25, 2015, the leader of the Community Police of Aquila, Michoacán, Semeí Verdía, along with Juan Manuel Satién Cándido, his bodyguard, were ambushed.  The incident occurred on the road from the municipal capital of Santa María Ostula to the federal highway 200, in the area known as Los Otates, next to La Cobanera.  At the site, various heavy caliber cartridges were found but no vehicle tracks were able to be found; this confirmed that it was a previously planned ambush and not a spontaneous confrontation.

The bodyguard was the only one reported as being injured but not life threatening and is currently out of danger.

The community members of Ostula, and the authorities are concerned about the safety of their commander and his bodyguard.  They strongly denounce what has happened, especially the current setting that is lived along the coastal region and throughout the state, that is, the elections for the office of governor, the mayor and the renewal of the state congress.

It is worth mentioning that the attacks against the Nahua community have not ceased since they’ve reclaimed their land on June 2009.  So far, there have been 32 murders and six forced disappearances at the hands of organized crime, which is linked with the Caballeros Templarios and the local PRI power.  This attack marks two assassination attempts against the autodefensa leader, Semeí Verdía, since the recovery of the territory at the hands of the new community police in February 2014.


Photo by: Heriberto Paredes



In addition to this physical aggression, which is already being evaluated by human rights organizations, on Saturday May 23, the president of the Commissariat of Communal Goods was notified of a lawsuit that puts at risk the alleged property, through a front man, the 36 hectares that correspond to the communal lands of Ostula, specifically the adjoin land that is exploited by the mining company Ternium.  The documents were received, coincidentally, right at the moment when the first distribution of the land was taking place by the agrarian authorities of the community.  After a long measuring process of the land, and after the general assembly (the maximum authority), this important process will take place.


Michoacán lives in a setting of the realignment of political power at the state level ahead of the June 7 elections.  In this sense, both candidates and political parties like remnants of organized crime, look for any price, creating conditions in order to regain full control of the economy and politics.  Isolated incidents, killings of candidates, or mass massacres are not what have been in the news in the previous weeks; everything responds to a capitalist logic in which cartels and political parties are already the same force.

In the specific case of the coastal area, the existence of one of the most important iron mines in the world cannot be forgotten, located specifically in the municipality of Aquila, next to the communal lands of Ostula; despite the fact that official, the land of this community is already being permitted to continue mining and to develop an industrial zone that would facilitate the output of iron to other nations and to transport it to other national ports.  The organized resistance of the population has prevented these economic projects from being carried out.  The greed of businessmen, politicians, and criminals has not ceased, proof of this are the constant attacks that Ostula receives in order to loot the lands.

So far, after a long history of community organization, the Nahua population that inhabit these lands have stated that they will not stop fighting and that they are going to defend their territory by any means necessary.

Source: SubVersiones

18 comments:

  1. This is another example of, What would happen if the community rebelled against organized crime. Mexico is just DOOMED if you fight for your rights or rebel you are screwed, if you go to government n authorities you are screwed. Lets just face it Organized Crime just rules n took over Mexico.

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  2. This short phrase "since they’ve reclaimed their land [on June 2009]" I believe is a key phrase as to why the federal government of Mexico turns a blind eye a/o aids and abets in the destruction of the Mexican population in so many rural areas such as this one. It's as if they have whispered amongst each other "ah, let them kill each other and if it looks as if the citizens are winning, we'll help the outlaws a little ... and when they're all finished we'll move in and take back authority, resources, wealth, land, obedience..."

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  3. That area was the last to be connected to a road when they built the Pacific coast highway. Isolated and independant, these Indio people are fed up. It is from these areas that open revolt has the best chance.

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  4. so runs michoacan now? mencho? i already know just wanna know what people supposedly know,supposedly! yeah yeah im a cheerleader and u guys dnt know shit!! lol!!!

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  5. Perhaps the ADS should retaliate against a soft target.Like the criminal local PRI !

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  6. your story is wrong 2 dead autodefensas https://www.quadratin.com.mx/sucesos/Este-miercoles-PGJE-levantara-los-cuerpos-tras-enfrentamiento-en-Aquila/

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    Replies
    1. This story was about the ambush on Monday.

      I've posted up another story that shows 6 dead and 4 wounded after the various shootouts.

      Delete
  7. Good for them! It is a hard and dangerous fight, but this is how it is done! Go AutoDefensas!!!

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  8. If mexico wants to be free from organized crime, they should follow and join together like these brave men and women. My respect goes ot to them, eventhogh organized crime tries to infiltrate their autodefenza community and threatens them, they arm themselves and go heads up with them. I know people that say that organized crime is good but thats not true, maybe it was good 20 years back when everyone was low key and no competition from other cartels but times have changed and there is a lot of drug gangs and cartels power hungry ripping each other of and killing for expansion for territory all through out Mexico. real spit

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  9. 'In todo de la republica la gente de los tres pueblos X in Michoacan are subject to the vilest human rights abuses. The United Nations refuses to involve itself which indicts the concept of it being a viable corrective instrument. Evo Morales, president of Bolivia indicted the Mexican government by stating "Mexico Is A Failed Narco State" The Pope chastised Argentina against following in Mexico's tracks and becoming a Narco state. Gobernacion of Mexico reaction projected an image of shock and insisted that ""More Dialog Is Needed". I am deeply ashamed of Mexico's legacy. The country is not only not "winning" against organized crime, the prevailing attitude of an overwhelming percentage of elected officials, law enforcement and the judiciary is assuming an attitude of "What's In It For Me?"

    Desde Tierra Caliente

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    1. Look in mexico, you well know that nothing. Moves unless El PRI gives you the blessing unfortunately they are the ones in power right now.....let's say the autodefensas start to kick some ass , the very next day they would have a Alfredo castillo to put them out because they are responsible for all the shit happening in mexico? ???why because the government is the narco ,I know is sounds incredible but is the reality of mexico...no way to fix a narco state, well there is but not peacefully!!! Is like the war between the sandinista and the contras, and the civilians caught on the middle....is autodefensas vs narcos... narcos = government .

      Delete
  10. Pinchis canadienses...
    But operations like this are carried out by federal police and army directed by school of the assassins graduates like military zone commanders...

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  11. are these nahua or purepechas? either way, good for them to fight for their rights...sad that they have to

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  12. Little off topic but an interesting read.

    Fear silences human trafficking victims - Mexico prosecutor

    http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/fear-silences-human-traff/1873954.html

    It is just crazy and out of hand here! Just saw a wanted poster for 3 men a one woman that are wanted for kidnapping young children, taking their organs and selling them. This happens a lot here. How can people buy them?

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  13. Please post a video of this young hero. He is smart,articulate and deserves to be heard.

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  14. Here he is (in green) with Mireles and Autodefensas in La Mira, a few days before Doc was arrested https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vaxEB0eDIg
    Here is a corrido about him https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT0e3KvrEHo

    ReplyDelete

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