MORELIA, Michoacán – A rural mayor in western Mexico is openly criticizing his federal and state governments for abandoning his constituency as one of the most dangerous cartels invaded, leading to days of long-lasting shootouts.
In recent days, Tepalcatepec Mayor Felipe Martinez Perez made several statements claiming both levels of government “abandoned” his town as the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) began its incursion. In an interview with El Imparcial, Martinez Perez asked for the military to engage due to the escalating violence. Since making the statements, the politician claims he received a series of death threats and no further official aid, Telediario reported.
In recent days, the CJNG carried out several attacks in and around Tepalcatepec to capture or kill Juan Jose “El Abuelo” Farias Alvarez, a former member who helped start some of the civilian self-defense groups in the area. The fighting involved convoys of gunmen from CJNG clashing with Abuelo’s forces. Cartel gunmen used armored trucks and high-powered weapons that killed scores of belligerents and at least two innocent bystanders.
Editor’s Note: Breitbart Texas traveled to the Mexican States of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and other areas to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities. Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by Jose Luis Lara, a former leading member who helped start the Self-Defense Movement in Michoacán.