By Jaime Ortega.
A month after the most serious conflict that Mexico had experienced in recent years broke out, President Enrique Peña Nieto (PRI ) step inside territory war and came to Michoacan, a green land northwest of the country from where much of the avocado is produced to export to Europe and the United States.
Nieto wanted to personally see the implementation of its security plan after seeing the region of ‘Tierra Caliente ‘ blow up into the pieces after the lifting of self-defense groups , which have been expelling over the weeks the dangerous cartel of the Templar knights who dominate the area. Since a month of clashes between AUC (Self defense forces who oppose cartels) and the Templars made headlines over half the world (the uprising itself has more than a year ) Peña Nieto announced a security plan ( move more soldiers ) that include a package of social programs.
But the leader of the AUC , José Manuel Mireles , who is not attached to Nieto’s policies was blunt “In Michoacán there is no need for theaters, in order for peace to be restored, we need facts,” he said in an interview. He also referred to the arrest of some of the big cartel bosses ‘El Chayo ‘ and ‘La Tuta ‘.
Peña Nieto ‘s trip was kept secret until the last minute and was accompanied by an impressive amount of security, only compared that of the former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi as he toured the neighborhoods of Tripoli to ensure everything was calm.
Peña Nieto route was not well covered by the press, but its speculated that he could appear in the symbolic town of Apatzingán, the capital of the Templars. But since Michoacán made world news on early January a lot has happened.
The army moved and took the area. Hundreds of police officers and the military were deployed to Tierra Caliente to try to stop the AUC, that have not stopped advancing and ‘ conquer ‘ towns like La Huerta , of about 500 people besides other towns like Plan de Ayala or Santa Clara de Valladares .
Due to the speed and pace of the conflict, many Mexican soldiers forgot their attempt to disarm the insurgents but they agreed to be ” more discreet ” with the weapons they will use and avoid pictures that went around the world uploaded by hundreds of farmers exhibiting 4×4 Ak -47.
Peña Nieto accepted a change in his institutionalization and registered and called AUC the ” village guards ” . But it’s the same body with a different suit . The AUC multiply The AUC self-defense has multiplied in the rest of the country . Guerrero and Tamaulipas have created their bodies and the leaders of the movement have received calls from around the country, Oaxaca Sinaloa , asking advice.
To all of them , Dr. Mireles , always advised the same thing what is needed to create a body of self-defense ? Courage . Nothing but courage. ” To finish and complete the picture General Oscar Naranjo, right hand of Colombian Alvaro Uribe for many years in its fight against FARC and star signing of Peña Nieto’s safety to curb cartels , left last week his charge and returned to Colombia.
Before leaving he split the paramilitary strategy and recalls the emergence of bloodthirsty AUC of Colombia , which caused 80 % of deaths that now leads the Colombian conflict. The Minister of Interior , Miguel Angel Osorio Chong ruled that Peña Nieto ‘s visit yesterday to Michoacan is the first step to remove in one stroke the corrupt local authorities that so far have worked in collusion with organized crime.
