A group of soldiers detained by self-defense force members in Michoacán on Sunday was released the same day in exchange for the return of weapons confiscated by the army Silvano Aureoles said the soldiers were disarmed and detained in the municipality of La Huacana after a confrontation with armed civilians They were freed six hours later when other soldiers returned four high-caliber firearms that were seized following the clash “What happened is that there was an act of aggression on the part of some armed civilians towards elements of the army,” Aureoles said “The aggression was repelled and two civilians died; unfortunately a minor was also injured but he’s stable.” According to a report in the newspaper La Jornada armed civilians detected the presence of nine soldiers in La Huacana and began shooting at them abandoning several high-caliber weapons that were seized by the soldiers A group of residents who identified themselves as self-defense force members subsequently approached the soldiers to demand the return of the weapons A video that circulated on social media shows one man saying to the commander of the group: “Look buddy Footage then shows the residents pushing and disarming the soldiers Aureoles said the soldiers were unharmed during their ordeal adding that the situation in La Huacana was now “calm.” Referring to the incident at his morning press conference today President López Obrador said “the attitude of the soldiers was very responsible He added: “Abusing our fellow beings is cowardice that’s why [I give] all my support to the soldiers.” The president described the situation the soldiers faced as “difficult” and said that members of the National Guard are being trained to respond to such cases Prudence is much better than authoritarianism,” López Obrador said adding that the armed forces will always respect human rights Source: Reforma (sp), La Jornada (sp)  ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) led the disarmament and detainment of 14 soldiers in La Huacana Three people with close links to Miguel Ángel Gallegos Godoy – “El Migueladas” – alleged leader of the CJNG in La Huacana, led the May 26 aggression The soldiers were besieged by a large group of people who demanded the return of weapons the army seized earlier in the day after two separate confrontations with armed men Two civilians were killed in the first clash and a young boy was wounded in the second Videos posted to social media show the aggressors identified in subsequent reports as members of a self-defense force The incident has been widely described as a humiliation for the armed forces Military intelligence reports obtained by Milenio identify Gaudencio Lozano Barriga Bulmaro Arzate Fierro and Maricruz Ramírez as instigators of the attack also known as “El Gaudi,” is a deputy to Gallegos in the local power structure of the CJNG Arzate is a hired gun for the CJNG and part of Gallegos’ inner circle while Ramírez is believed to be in a relationship with Francisco Tavares General Gerardo Mérida and other army personnel attempted to enter La Huacana in military pickups but were prevented from doing so because a truck was parked across the road leading into the town demanded that the general get out of his vehicle but he refused after which at least two men began to attack the pickup Another soldier was detained during the incident but Mérida and the other army personnel he was traveling with managed to escape one of the 14 soldiers detained in La Huacana then called General Mérida before handing over his telephone to Lozano the suspected CJNG member is heard demanding the return of the confiscated weapons I want you to send them in a private car to La Huacana “In whose name do I send them?” Mérida inquires send them in the name of the people,” Lozano responds before sending three men to receive the weapons at the entrance to the town Lozano and Arzate fled La Huacana hours after the events of May 26 The 14 soldiers were released six hours after they were detained in exchange for the confiscated Eight of the soldiers were summoned by the federal Attorney General’s Office yesterday to make statements about their ordeal President López Obrador praised the soldiers’ conduct stating that their attitude “was very responsible very honorable and very brave” and that “prudence is much better than authoritarianism.” The CJNG is considered Mexico’s most powerful and dangerous cartel but statistics show that very few of its members have been arrested and prosecuted in recent years Source: Milenio (sp)  has spread to other municipalities in the notoriously violent Tierra Caliente region strategically significant for drug trafficking and the production of methamphetamine due to its proximity to the port of Lázaro Cárdenas Self-defense groups pertaining to Pueblos Unidos and criminal cells of Los Viagras — part of Cárteles Unidos — are trying to prevent the spread of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and stop its alleged lieutenant New blockades have caused fear and tension and disruption of trade and transport in the municipalities of La Huacana has been under siege for weeks by Pueblos Unidos and Los Viagras the newspaper El Universal reported on Wednesday the Pueblos Unidos has blocked the main point of entry which is the route to the state capital Morelia The borders at Ario de Rosales and Churumuco are points of high tension where Pueblos Unidos and the CJNG all have look-outs and conduct armed patrols The Pueblos Unidos completely closed the northern entrance to La Huacana after the June 6 election which raised prices for basic products and transport costs as providers had to take longer back roads It is not clear if any traffic has been allowed to pass since that date Goods vendors have expressed their fear to travel to La Huacana by the back roads due to the risk of vehicles being hijacked and and set alight to form a road blockade Buses from Mexico City and Morelia have been suspended for weeks another resident said that the violence had remained peripheral to daily life about which everyone here in the village knows We only see the trucks with armed people passing from one place to another always keeping guard so that their opponents can’t enter.” With reports from El Universal Members of a newly formed criminal gang based in Michoacán announced their presence with a Facebook post on Thursday Members of the Zicuirán New Generation Cartel (CZNG) claimed to be allied with the notoriously violent Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and warned the army and other security forces to stay out of their territory The video posted to Facebook shows a masked member of the group in front of around 40 others all dressed in black sweatshirts and masks bearing the new cartel’s acronym He proclaims that the municipalities of Múgica and La Huacana — in which Zicuirán is located — are the cartel’s territory and that any soldiers who enter will be stopped and their weapons seized which is perfectly demarcated by our boys,” the man says adding that cartel members have fortified the perimeter The man also bragged that the cartel already has the local government and police force in its pocket “Don’t bother trying to intervene in the police or local government They’re our property and they happily hand over their uniforms and positions to swell our ranks,” he says But the message was not only directed at official agencies The masked man also warned citizens who may operate clandestine drug laboratories or practice other illegal activities not to do so without the approval of the gang “Any aircraft that flies without our permission will be shot down any vehicle that enters [our territory] will be detained but we want to show that with our finances and government we can excel,” the man says to the camera Michoacán has long been a battleground for the CJNG and former self-defense group-turned-cartel Los Viagras The addition of a new ally does not bode well for public safety in the state Source: La Jornada (sp) Additional troops were deployed to two Michoacán municipalities Wednesday after presumed cartel henchmen forced soldiers to abandon a checkpoint in the Tierra Caliente town of Nueva Italia where the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is known to operate At least 290 additional soldiers and National Guard troops were deployed to Múgica of which Nueva Italia is the municipal seat and the neighboring municipality of La Huacana according to military sources cited by the newspaper Reforma The CJNG has narcotics laboratories in the area that it is seemingly prepared to defend at any cost where the Jalisco cartel is engaged in a fierce turf war with the Cárteles Unidos criminal gang is currently Mexico’s second most violent state after Guanajuato with over 750 homicides in the first three months of the year The security reinforcement in Múgica and La Huacana followed the deployment Tuesday of 900 additional troops to Michoacán where close to 5,000 members of the armed forces are now stationed It was triggered by some 16 soldiers being run off a checkpoint the same day by a large number of men in pickup trucks and SUVs ▶#VIDEO | Civiles armados al servicio del Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación, corretean a personal del Ejército Mexicano en Nueva Italia, Michoacán. https://t.co/Gtp9hytlib pic.twitter.com/waAvo8yN6K — La Silla Rota (@lasillarota) May 11, 2022 A video posted to social media shows the presumed criminals pursuing the soldiers The newspaper El País said that the scene was reminiscent of a Mad Max movie President López Obrador addressed the act of intimidation at his regular news conference on Thursday “A video circulated on social media yesterday in which some presumed criminals are behind some army trucks adding that the footage was used by famous people and the “conservative party” – presumably the National Action Party – to denigrate Mexico who clearly didn’t agree with the assessment “We have to acknowledge the responsible attitude of the army in these times,” López Obrador said there were constant confrontations and members of criminal groups lost their lives – innocent citizens too and soldiers and marines,” he said “Those above didn’t care because it’s very easy to say, ‘I’m enforcing authority, I won’t be afraid,’” said López Obrador, who has adopted a so-called “hugs, not bullets” security strategy which is partially encapsulated by his directive to the military to not use force unless absolutely necessary the navy and the National Guard have all been trained to avoid confrontations and to use “intelligence more than force.” “… Before it was kill them in the heat of the moment and they finished off the wounded,” López Obrador said referring to killings by the armed forces after former president Felipe Calderón launched a militarized war on cartels in late 2006 He said the number of people killed in confrontations with official security forces was higher than the number of wounded and detained and presented statistics to support his statement The statistics also showed that the ratio has changed since his government took office “We look after the members of the armed forces of the army and National Guard but we also look after the members of the gangs they’re humans [too],” López Obrador said That’s why the … [forced abandonment of the checkpoint] which many people … [claimed] was the world upside down was a responsible attitude for me,” he said López Obrador also said that 300 or 400 troops were deployed to the area around Nueva Italia and that arrests were made but  “confrontation Under previous governments the dominant way of thinking was to “confront violence with violence evil with evil as if fire could be put out with fire,” he said “… It was an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth and we said no because we’re all going to be left toothless and one-eyed “We have to go to the causes [of crime],” he said “Remove the breeding ground [for criminals] something the corrupt [past governments] never did … They dedicated themselves to stealing.” With reports from Reforma