The surprising way this Mexican state is fighting the cartels | The Americas with Simon Reeve
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Published -
- November 30, 2019
- 9:29 pm
Simon meets with an elite task force, tasked with helping rid their state of drug cartels.
He also learns of how this state is using clean energy to renew it’s decimated economy.
Simon Reeve continues his journey through the Americas. In this second leg, Simon is in the United States travelling down the Rocky Mountains from Montana to Colorado. In the wide-open prairies of Montana, the cowboy way of life is under threat from a long-term decline in the rural economy, but Simon meets a former Silicon Valley executive who has envisaged a new future for the land. The hugely ambitious American Prairie Reserve is attempting to turn three million acres of former ranches, farms and public lands into a protected habitat for America’s wildlife, reintroducing iconic species long extinct, including the North American bison. It is a move being welcomed by native American groups still living under the shadow of historical injustice.
What is the autodefensas and how has it helped the people of Michoacán combat drug cartels?
The Mexican state of Michoacán has long been plagued by violent drug cartels, causing untold amounts of suffering and death for its citizens. However, despite the overwhelming odds against them, the people of Michoacán have found a unique way to combat the cartels – by organizing and policing themselves.
This surprising revelation was brought to light by Simon Reeve, a travel journalist and presenter of the BBC show “The Americas with Simon Reeve.” In an episode of the show, Reeve visited Michoacán to see firsthand how the people there were fighting back against the cartels.
What he found was a community of people who had grown tired of being terrorized by the cartels and had taken matters into their own hands. They formed their own police forces, known as the “autodefensas,” and began patrolling their streets to keep the cartels out.
This grassroots effort has not been without its challenges. The autodefensas have been met with hostility from the Mexican government, which sees them as vigilantes and has attempted to shut them down. They have also faced threats and violence from the cartels, who see them as a threat to their power.
Despite these obstacles, the autodefensas have been successful in protecting their communities. They have managed to push the cartels out of many areas and have made it difficult for them to operate in those that remain.
The success of this approach has led to other communities in Michoacán and other parts of Mexico to follow suit. The strategy has been dubbed “community policing,” and it has been praised by human rights groups for its effectiveness.
However, there are concerns that the autodefensas may become corrupted and abuse their power, leading to more violence and instability. It is a delicate balance that must be maintained, and the people of Michoacán are aware of the potential dangers.
The fight against the cartels in Michoacán is not over, but the community policing approach has offered a glimmer of hope in the otherwise bleak landscape of Mexico’s drug war. As Simon Reeve noted, “the people are taking on the criminals, one street, one town, and one state at a time.” It is an inspiring example of ordinary people standing up to organized crime and refusing to be intimidated.
