Los Viagras Use Drone Bombs Against CJNG in La Ruana, Michoacán

By "El Huaso" and "Enojon" for Borderland Beat

The town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto, also known as "La Ruana" in Michoacán state has been a hotspot of drone deployed explosive attack activity over the last couple days. At least four explosives have been dropped from drones in La Ruana, while security forces have scrambled to detain those responsible and affirm their control.

This article summarizes these events.

The First Drone Bombing in La Ruana - September 10

On Sunday, September 10, Guadalupe Mora, the brother of recently murdered autodefensa leader Hipolita Mora, was speaking with community members in the town center of La Ruana around noon when a drone-deployed IED exploded nearby. 

Video shows explosion near central plaza of La Ruana. Via David Ordaz Twitter

According to Guadalupe Mora in an interview with newspaper Proceso, Mora was approached by locals at his home who wanted his support against Los Viagras, a criminal group in the region behind widespread extortion and violence. According to El Universal, some of these men were Francisco Valencia Díaz, alias “El Soquete”; Jesús García Chávez, alias “El Chuchín”, and Antonio Naranjo, who are all locals, but have been "expelled" from the municipality for working for the CJNG. El Universal portrays the event as a ruse organized by the CJNG to turn the locals against Los Viagras.

These men also went to the local church to ring the bells, against the parish priest's wishes, in order to call the town to the central plaza to mobilize against Los Viagras. Ringing the bells of a local church to call the armed town together is a tactic used by autodefensas in Michoacán. This significance of this act goes back hundreds of years in Mexico. In fact, the "Grito", Mexico's shout of independence in 1810, which signaled the start of the Mexican Revolution, was accompanied by Padre Hidalgo ringing the bells of the church. In doing so, the CJNG compare their cause against Los Viagras as a revolutionary act.

Mora and his bodyguards spoke to a small gathering of people around noon under Police watch. He clarified that no one was carrying weapons, contradicting reporting by El Universal, who wrote that the men who rang the church bells were carrying rifles.

The IED exploded nearby while he was speaking, but there were were no injuries or deaths.

That evening, three armed men, allegedly members of Los Viagras, were arrested nearby. Infobae identified them as José Luis “N”, alias “El Chango”; Luis Alberto “N”, alias “El Chivo”; and Jesús “N”, alias “El Chamán”, and reported that they work as gunmen for Heladio Cisneros Meneras alias "La Sirena".

Crime journalist Oscar Balderas wrote that La Sirena was behind the ambush killing of Hipolita Mora in late June 2023.

The Second Drone Bombing in La Ruana - September 12

Last night around 10 p.m., three explosives were dropped from commercial drones around La Ruana, with one exploding in a market, a main avenue, and the central plaza. There were no injuries or deaths.

Locals show the remains of an explosive. Via Grupo Marmor Multimedios Twitter

The Seizure in La Ruana - September 12

Earlier that day, security forces captured an arsenal, including equipment related to drone dropped IEDs.

Photos show six improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and a remote control for a drone, along with dozens of rifle rounds and magazines. The IEDs, which appear to be modeled after WW2-era MK2 grenades, have small metal balls affixed to them, which would act as deadly shrapnel upon explosion. One has fins, which would act to stabilize it when dropped, improving accuracy.

The remote control appears to be a RotorLogic DJI Mavic 2 Pro/Zoom Remote Controller, which sells new for just under $500 USD in the United States. The corresponding drone costed $2,200 USD when it was still in production.

This exact remote and the corresponding drone combination can be purchased used in Mexico through Mercado Libre, an online marketplace, for $17,000 pesos ($985 USD).

The seizure of weapons was reported on the Michoacán state Public Security Secretariat Twitter account this afternoon.

Drone Attack in El Caracol - August 10 

 

Since May 1st, similar drone attacks have been carried out against the El Caracol community of Heliodoro Castillo, Guerrero by members of La Familia Michoacána in an attempt to enter the region that the criminal organization considers territory of their rival, Los Tlacos, while targeting locals they deem to be supporters of the group. 

 

During an interview with Imagen Noticias, an unidentified displaced resident of El Caracol stated that claims circulated through social media of an alleged alliance between La Familia Michoacana, Don Misael Figueroa Tapia, founder of the Adrián Castrejón Apaxtlense Movement or 'MAAC,' and Juan Carlos Flores Ascencio 'La Beba,' leader of the Teloloapan Cartel, who intend to enter the region to combat the presence of Los Tlacos.While details are scarce, news reports indicate one individual was killed and 250 people have been displaced as a result of the bombings.

  

Context of drone deployed IED's in Michoacán 

 

The violence perpetrated by Los Viagras towards the regional Autodefensas continues after the murder of Hipólito Mora Chávez, former founder of the La Ruana community self-defense group, on June 29th by members operating for Rogelio Moreno Reyes 'El Conejo' or 'El Conejillo,' leader of gunmen for Nicolás Sierra Santana  'El Gordo Viagra,' in Buenavista, Michoacan. Although, the organization has now begun to target Guadalupe Mora Chávez, brother of Hipólito, and Antonio Torres Naranjo, the new face of the Autodefensa movement in La Ruana, who Los Viagras see as enemies for their efforts against the criminal organization. 

Members of the La Ruana stated the illicit interference of Los Viagras in local commercial industries such as agricultural had motivated them to organize against the criminal organization, while they have not taken up arms as of yet, they were prepared to do so, a member stated "Until now are not armed, but there are weapons Hipólito has left me". The attacks can be perceived as Los Viagra's attempts to hinder or eliminate a potentially damaging movement similar to the 2013 Autodefensa movement against Los Caballeros Templarios.

 

National Drone Initiative 

On September 12th, during the morning press conference in the National Palace Journalist Yusbel Carolina Rada Díaz from the news publication Código Libre presented Luisa María Alcalde Luján, the Secretary of the Interior, a question regarding the increased drone attacks as seen recently in La Ruana and other points of Michoacan, asking what is the government's response to eliminate the use of drones by criminal organizations.

 

Luján stated an initiative had been formed in coordination with the Secretariat of the Navy, the Secretariat of National Defense, the Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection and unidentified legislators to regulate it's use to prevent further attacks of this kind, stating she awaits its discussion in congress as they "need to address these new realities."  

According to the August 22nd Safety Report, security personnel had seized, destroyed and detonated 605 explosives that were intended to be dropped as payloads from drones between December, 2018 and August 21st, 2023. 

Sources: Proceso 9/10/23 @SSeguridad_Mich Twitter, Mercado Libre Listing, Amazon Remote Listing, Mavic 2 Listing, MVS Noticias 7/5/23, August 22nd Safety Report, NMás, Morning Press Conference [Timestamp: 50:25], David Ordaz Twitter 9/10/23, Aristegui Noticias 9/13/23, Infobae 9/11/23, El Universal 9/10/23, El Pais 8/29/23, El Sol de Morelia 9/12/23, Excélsior TV 5/17/23, Animal Politico 5/16/2023, Animal Politico 8/16/23

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Fewer Homicides Reported In Michoacán Towns with Self-Defense Groups

A self-defense checkpoint in Tancítaro, Michoacán
Photo: Eduardo Miranda

By: Francisco Castellanos J.

Morelia, Michoacán (December 2)—Despite emerging measures implemented so far by the federal government- sending federal and military forces, cleaning up police forces, having military officials in police stations, and monitoring security in various municipalities-, intentional homicides in the state register a slight increase during the administration of Enrique Peña Nieto, compared to last year’s predecessor, the panista Felipe Calderón.

According to the report “criminal indicators” of the National Public Security System (Sistema Nacional de Seguridad Pública (SNSP)), last year on average 32.5 executions were committed each month (considering 12 months) on average 33.22 were committed since September of this year.

In round numbers, in all of 2012, 306 intentional homicides were committed; while in the first nine months of this year 299 have been committed, with the fact that the months of October, November, and December have not been counted for.

Other interesting data from the SNSP: in 2012 the months of April, September, and December were the most violent, with 53, 51, and 40 executions, while this year the bloodiest months were March, July, and August with 50, 42, and 44 intentional homicides.

 

Municipalities with higher crime rates

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"Without The Army, the Self-Defense Movement Should Continue In Michoacán"

By: Omar Sánchez de Tagle

Morelia, Michoacán –The self-defense groups should remain in the state as long as the Army doesn’t control and monitor the various municipalities of the state, stated the Mayor of Tancítaro, Salvador Torres Mora, who called on the governor Fausto Vallejo to increase the number of soldiers and reinforcements in the region.

Vallejo answered the mayor’s declarations with security reinforcements, on the night of Wednesday November 20, in five municipalities where self-defense groups operate: Los Reyes, Peribán and Apatzingán, San Juan Nuevo, Uruapan and Tancítaro, areas where clashes have occurred and lives have been lost in recent weeks.

While these municipalities were being reinforced, a new confrontation occurred between the self-defense groups and armed civilians in the municipality of Buenavista Tomatlán, where one person died.

According to first reports from state officials, the confrontation occurred in an area where the Caballeros Templarios don’t want the presence of self-defense groups and thus, fight for control of the area.

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Dr. Jose Manuel Mireles, AUC: "We want the heads of 7 "Templarios'" Leaders"

Borderland Beat

Okay, The doctor is saying in this interview repeatedly that they want 7 CT leaders dead ("the AUC wants their heads,") and they'd like the proof with DNA testing because they have the knack of resurrection as we've seen "They Want their heads" is the figure of speech he uses for wanting them dead as doornails. It sounds literal but I'm sure it isn't meant to be taken so  literally to think he is advocating decapitations or anything that "Zetaesque"  But that is what it says. Again, he's using "want their heads," simply to mean for Michoacan to progress for the good of the people, they want to get rid of the seven CT leaders with proof of their DNA. And why wouldn't they want their heads? The CT's have been making their lives hell for far too long. If you read the post the context that he uses these words is really very clear.

Community Defense Groups: We demand the heads of the 7 Templarios leaders in Michoacan: Says leader Dr.José Manuel Mireles in an interview with Carmen Aristegui, MVS News.

In an interview with MVS News first issue, on Nov. 18, 2013, Dr. Mireles said that community defense groups continue to advance its goal and announced that so far there are community police in 45 regions of 19 municipalities in the Tierra Caliente area.

Among the Templars names Dr. Mireles mentioned are: Nazario "El Chayo " Moreno, Servando Gomez "La Tuta, " Enrique " El Tio Nicho "Plancarte, Rigoberto," El Tena"," El Chicano " and "El Toro. " He noted that in the region that has given rise to some criminals as has  "El Chayo "and Plancarte, and spoke about a video posted three months ago where "El Tîo Nicho" called out challenging, Hipolito Mora, community leader in La Ruana, to his death.

Dr.Mireles affirms that the government has started positive actions as total disarmament in Vista Hermosa and Briseñas, but you need to keep covering more in the territory of Michoacan because these people keep kidnapping, killing, and these areas they are contaminated by organized crime.

"Many of our vehicles and also the Army's are cloned and they use our emblems, so you have to more careful about that ... we have armored vehicles that we have been seized from them ," he said. 

José Manuel Mireles narrated that the last weekend they began with an operation in Tancítaro, after learning that the criminals had killed two young girls that they kidnapped, so self-defense groups in the region are concentrated in Buenavista and later took over city hall of Tancítaro.

"At 11:00 am, a farmer told us that we must be careful because they were preparing an ambush, so red alert was issued and that's when one of our cars was attacked with a blast ... I was in the van 4 truck back they wounded 2 companions who are already tending. When the fighting ended after 1 hour 45 minutes, they found two more bodies, and about 2 in the afternoon and  they had found more bodies. We were told there were nine bodies of the Templar," he said.

Templarios attack defense group with grenades

He said the Army was around Tancítaro, they asked them to disarm, however they didn't believe the order and returned with guns in hand to Pareo where 3,000 people joined to make blocks.

Last week he informed that five people had been kidnapped, including the son of a businessman from Nueva Italia and four of the doctor's family members who were were dismembered and burned.
"Then comes the kidnapping of these little girls, all of whom live here, are part of families, families with pure courage to face this ... local media are saying it was a clash between police and criminals but the truth is that it was an attack against us (AUC)," he said.

Dr. José Manuel Mireles said they have offered their own guides to the authorities, because they know where  "El Chayo" and "La Tuta" are, and will be, however as of yet there have had no response.

He charged that the authorities are aware of what is happening in the region from the moment the operatives leave from  DF.

He stressed that after the arrest of a sicario in a raid by the police, the sicario said, he himself orders the operations, and it is he who warns them that they are going after them. "We arrived in the municipalities in support but these communities are those that are putting their own in trenches... sometimes they insult the clean work that we are doing, we are not forming any cartel nor are we or funded by one. We are looking to help end state of violence, we want clean elections," he said.

He noted that there have been invitations to become part of them but they are not accepted because they charge favors because they are criminals.

Video: Watch interview with Dr. José Manuel Mireles, on Monday November 18 in News MVS first issue:

Part 1 Video

Above - Video Part 2 

Text: Read here Carmen Aristegui's full translated interview with Dr José Manuel Mireles:

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