Mexico legalizes part of the groups of self-defence in Michoacan

The Government of Mexico announced on Monday an agreement reached with rural advocacy groups of the turbulent state of Michoacan, with the condition of a total surrender of their weapons to the army.

The announcement was made hours after the military arrested Dionicio Loya Plancarte, alias “El Tio”, one of the main leaders of the cartel of the Knights Templar, to which the AUC of Michoacan are fighting against.

“The AUC are institutionalized to join rural defense Corps” and are “obligated to register the weapons” that they have before the Mexican army, said the Ministry of the Interior (interior) in a press release.

The agreement only includes militias from eight communities, without mentioning the peoples who began the movement of self-defense forces in February 2013.

However, Hipolito  Mora, leader of the self-defense group of the La Ruana and founder of the militia movement told AFP that “the agreement is for all” the self-defence groups.

The AUC started almost a year ago to protect their people from the members of the cartel of the Knights Templar, who are accused of threatening  the population with extortion, kidnappings and murders with the inaction of the local authorities.