By Diego Cruz
A group of journalists covering the expansion of vigilante groups in the Mexican state of Michoacán became stranded in a local town after being caught in crossfire this weekend, reported freedom of expression organization Article 19.
In the past week, the “self-defense” vigilante groups that emerged months ago to combat the Knights Templar drug cartel occupied small communities throughout the state in preparation for an assault on the city of Apatzingán, a headquarters for the cartel.
The resulting shootouts and roadblocks prevented reporters from the media outlets Reuters, El Universal, Mic Photo Press and Punto de Partida from leaving the town of Antunez.
Among those stranded was El Universal’s Jorge Serratos, who said the journalists were safe but might require extraction if the situation got worse, according to Article 19.
“Inside the town we have mobility but we can’t get out because there aren’t any roads,” Serratos said, “The highway is full of burnt cars and there’s no way through.”
A separate team of photojournalists covering the roadblocks also reported having their equipment stolen during the conflict.
Although the Mexican military and federal police are present and helping clear roadblocks, they are not stopping the vigilantes but are instead allowing them to continue their operation, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Allowing the community-formed self-defense groups to carry out their mission in Michoacán is part of a strategy by the federal government to weaken the state’s drug cartels, according to the magazine Proceso.
“What we want is to kick out all of the cartels so there isn’t a single one left in Michoacán,” one of the vigilante group members told the magazine.
According to CNN, Mexico’s Secretary of the Interior Miguel Angel Osorio Chong said the government was trying to change the illegal status of the self-defense groups in Michoacán in an effort to include them in the fight against organized crime.
Note from the editor: This story was originally published by the Knight Center’s blog Journalism in the Americas, the predecessor of LatAm Journalism Review.
