Hundreds of armed vigilantes have reportedly seized a town in Mexico due to the amount of police corruption in the area.
The group said that around 1,500 members showed up Tierra Colorado on Wednesday after their commander was allegedly killed by local law enforcement. The vigilantes claimed that police murdered 28-year-old Guadalupe Quinones Carbajal and left his body in the middle of the road.
After 1,5000 people seized the Mexican town of Tierra Colorado, the vigilante group began setting up checkpoints and searching homes. The group is one of many “self defense” organizations that have popped up around the country in order to fight local drug cartels.
The vigilantes have arrested 12 police officers and the town’s ex-security director. The group turned them over to state prosecutors who intends to investigate the allegations.
“We have besieged the municipality, because here criminals operate with impunity in broad daylight, in view of municipal authorities. We have detained the director of public security because he is involved with criminals and he knows who killed our commander,” the group’s spokesperson explained.
Members of the group reportedly opened fire on a car full of tourists after the driver refused to stop at one of the checkpoints. The individual was heading to the beach with some relatives with the incident took place.
Tierra Colorado sits along a major roadway that connects Mexico City to Acapulco. The area is popular with tourists who are on their way to the beach.
Since the vigilante group that seized the town in Mexico have the best interest of residents at heart, government officials tend to tolerate their methods. Members of these groups say they are attempting to combat kidnapping and extortion plots executed by drug cartels.
However, some people have expressed concern about the tactics and methods used by these groups. Many believe they are acting above and beyond the law.
What do you think about the vigilantes that seized control of a town in Mexico? Do you think people have the right to defend themselves when local law enforcement fails?
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