Latin America
Vigilante founder killed in troubled Mexican region
After death threats, Hipolito Mora was killed. He founded a vigilante group in the Mexican state of Michoacán in the fight against the “Caballeros Templarios” drug cartel. photo
© Marco Ugarte/AP
Drug cartels and other criminal groups have been fighting for control of areas of influence in Mexico for years. In response, Hipólito Mora once founded a militia – now he has been murdered.
In a troubled region in western Mexico is the founder of the local Vigilante killed after death threats. Hipólito Mora and three National Guardsmen from his escort were attacked by gunmen in the village of La Ruana, the Michoacán State Attorney General said yesterday (local time). Mora’s SUV was also set on fire. The suspected body of the 67-year-old lime farmer was found largely burned by investigators.
The militias in the state of Michoacán were founded in 2013 to fight the drug cartel “Caballeros Templarios” (Knights Templar). Heavy fighting brought the region to the brink of civil war. Later, some self-defense groups were incorporated into the police or disarmed. The hostile factions within the militias often accused each other of being involved in organized crime themselves.
The governor of Michoacán, Alfredo Ramírez, regretted Mora’s death and promised a thorough investigation. His government asked the ex-militia chief to leave the village of La Ruana for his own safety, but he refused. The background to the attack initially remained unclear. According to her own statements, Mora had already escaped two murder attempts in the past few months. At noon yesterday, he and his escort were driving in two vehicles from an agricultural field to Mora’s home when they were attacked, the Attorney General’s Office said.
A wave of violence has been rampant in Mexico for years. Last year there were around 32,000 homicides per 126 million inhabitants. Numerous drug cartels and other criminal groups fight for control of areas of influence and smuggling routes. They often have ties to corrupt politicians and security forces.