Legalising ‘vigilantes’
Are armed civilian groups the answer to Mexico’s struggle with drug cartels?
Members of a self-defence group are seen during a confrontation with armed groups as they try to recover the control of the municipality of Antunez, Michoacan State, Mexico, 10 January 2014. (EPA/ULISES RUIZ BASURTO)
Vigilante groups in Mexico have been legalised after refusing government requests to lay down their arms. Mexican authorities said the autodefensas, or “self-defence” groups, will be integrated into official units called the Rural Defence Corps as long as they submit a list of members to the Defence Department and register their weapons with the army. So, will this help the government’s fight against drug traffickers in Michoacán state, or create the next big problem? We discuss at 19:30 GMT.
In this episode of The Stream, we speak with:
Steven Dudley @stevensdudley
Director, InSight Crime
insightcrime.org
Jasmine Garsd @JasGarsd
Journalist
Jorge Vazquez Valencia
Vigilante leader
What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.