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

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Cherán, Michoacán: Avocados Are Bringing ‘Violence And Blood’ To This Mexican Town

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat


We all love avocado. But while we’re mashing it into our sourdough on a Sunday morning, it’s causing much bigger problems on the other side of the world.

In Cheran, a self-governing township in Mexico, the scaly green fruit has inspired a decade long battle. The people here have declared themselves autonomous and formed their own government in a bid to protect their land.

For years the town has been warding off illegal logging in its pine-covered hillsides. The trees are cut down to make way for avocado plantations.

Avocados offer farmers profits like no other crop, with many describing it as ‘green gold’. However clearing forest land to plant avocados reduced biodiversity and the thirsty plants drain local water supplies.

It’s not just the environmental effects of the avocado plantations the people of Cheran have to worry about either. Avocado growers often attract the attention of drug cartels and are subject to extortion and violence.

“We realised that the only thing the avocado brings is violence and blood, at the expense of the Indigenous communities,” says David Ramos Guerrero, a member of Cheran’s self-governing farmers' board.

Protecting their forest

Taking the fight into their own hands has been so successful it's as if a line had been drawn across the mountains. Avocados and cleared land on one side, pine forest on the other.

Inspired by Purpecha Indigenous women taking a stand against illegal logging in 2011, the town armed itself and blocked the road to reclaim their land.

Ten years on, the fight to preserve the forests in the western state of Michoacan continues. On a legislative level, the town has managed to outlaw change in land usage, specifically where it would be converted for avocado growing.

Cheran has also formed a volunteer anti-logging patrol unit. If farmers don't agree to stop logging or planting avocados, the unit will pay them a visit.

Though the unit could be mistaken for the cartel, riding in pairs of pickup trucks armed with AR-15 rifles, they are there to protect nature. They seize axes, chainsaws and logs from anyone caught illegally logging.

"The community is the one demanding and asking that we respect nature, just like our ancestors taught us. Taking care of nature, instead of destroying it, fortifying it through reforestation," Ramos said.

euronews

25 comments:

  1. See thats what happens when you dont hold certain lacras accountable for their actions” crimes”
    No one is above the law? Lol

    ReplyDelete
  2. Goes to prove my point. Michoacan is a mess.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No shet Sherlock
      Get a job.
      All states of Mexico are experiencing deadly crime at it's highest, not just the state you hate, get a life.

      Delete
    2. I know michoacan is a mess, good thing the rest of Mexico is safe from violence and cartels thanks to my grandpa AMLO.. 👴
      (Sarcasm)

      Delete
    3. 12:49pm This sinarata 🐀 completely dodged my MMA fight. Everyone now knows how much of a coward you are ahahah

      Delete
    4. 537 If you really want to set up your boxing match post up your social media then... you won't cause you're all talk.

      Delete
    5. @153 mexicos epicenter for destabilized state of affairs, crime and whatever else you can think of is MICHOACAN. The states that follow like Guanajuato,zacatecas, veracruz and San Luis Potosi is where the cartel de michoachangos has a presence. The common denominator is always a michoachango. I'm sorry the truth hurts. Don't be mad at me, be mad at the gente corriente from your shitty state that are fucking it up for the rest of Mexico.

      Delete
    6. 7:27 good thing sinaloa, Durango, Sonora are good because CDS have presence there. They protect the people from bad guys..
      Cds respects people (sarcasm)
      Last I checked those places have a high crystal meth usage from kids to adults. The female death rate is the highest too..
      They just have everyone scared to say anything..
      Zacatecas is where CDS have more presence too pendejo..

      Those michoacangos aint no joke and will eat you for breakfast..

      Delete
    7. 7:37 what about the other fucked up states in 🇲🇽 where there is no michoacanhos?
      Who is to blame there? 🤔
      Get your head out of your A$$ and smell the coffee pendejo!☕️..

      Delete
    8. @1:53 "All states of Mexico are experiencing deadly crime at it's highest"

      That's not even a little true

      Delete
    9. I want to see the MMA match, let's make it happen!!!

      Delete
    10. 3:05pm Yes we are all waiting for the MMA event. We are waiting for sinarata mouse to respond with his social media info so we can verify his MMA champion credentials.

      Delete
    11. 713 you're right about the michoacacas eating you alive, they proved that in the video of the michoachango eating another man's heart. Fucken disgusting degenerates. As far as the three states you mentioned only Sonora stands out. No where on this blog does anyone get as many articles on violence and corruption as Michoacan. You can point out Durango, Sinaloa, and Sonora but the articles speak for themselves. Michoacan outnumbers every state in mexico. Michoacaca is worst then nuevo Leon.

      Delete
    12. 12:03 that's because cds has everyone scared to talk.

      10:51 sinaloa and Sonora have the highest femicide rate in Mexico thanks to rapping petefile CDS.

      Durango and sinaloa are full of meth junkies from kids too adults thanks to CDS

      Children are recruited from Durango, Sonora and sinaloa to go fight CDS..

      Michoacan has its problems but so does other states.
      Don't be pendejos! Lol
      It's no about snitchaloas or michoacangos. It's about who is letting that happen.
      LITTLE NUTS AMLO

      Delete
  3. You keyboard gangstas hate on Michoacan but Brazil has more violence and is poorer.

    Seriously what can ALMO do? I say invite Europe y US Special forces to hunt down cartels. They're not compromised by corruption.

    ~Brasileiro

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I say shut your ass up and worry about Brazil before you decide to share your opinion on mexico.

      Delete
    2. Lol butthurt Mexicano afraid of opinions she dislikes. Calmate fresita

      Delete
    3. In Brazil purse snatching and car theft along with store hold-ups , occur on daily basis. Furthermore if the cops are after a bank robber, they are allowed to kill him, even though he is getting away.

      Delete
    4. Wrong. You don't see people getting flayed in Brazil.

      Delete
  4. 1239. Your opinion doesn't matter. Especially when you claim to be from a country that's worse off.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Avocados bring violence and blood, but at least they don't loot!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This article shows the true problem in MX is NOT drugs it is greed. Any commodity the Cartels take control of Avocados, Limes,Petrol,various nuts etc are all being exploited by evil men. If the drug war ended tomorrow that would not end the exploitation and violence.

    ReplyDelete
  7. 12:03 the reason michoacan is sought after is for the biggest PORT in the western hemisphere.
    The fertile land where you can grow anything. The avocados, Limes, and other fruits.
    Also the strategic location it's in. You have jalisco on the north and Mexico city in the west.
    That's the reason mencho wants that state.
    It's a profitable plaza that generates millions..
    michoacan was blessed yet cursed to have that fertil beutiful land..

    ReplyDelete

Comments are moderated, refer to policy for more information.
Envía fotos, vídeos, notas, enlaces o información
Todo 100% Anónimo;

borderlandbeat@gmail.com