Government is, in many ways, a protection racket. You either pay taxes for "protection" (government services you may or may not use, including police protection) or, if you don't, you get arrested and thrown in jail. However, what if this implied promise breaks down? In Mexico, many local communities have begun to turn to self-help; but if there is anything that a government doesn't like, it is competition.
The Michoacan state government apparently arrested some 45 community guards in Aquila for possession of firearms (it is not clear from the article if they had weapons limited to only the government and cartels, or merely because they had firearms of any type). The civilian "Auto Defense" group is demanding their release, or:
“Two fundamental options exist. The first one: we are going to paralyze every one of the functions of the government of the state of Michoacán in our municipalities.”
“If that first step does not succeed , we will absolutely not recognize the government and power of the state of Michoacán and we will create a free independent zone. ..."
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