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Cheran villagers occupy Palacio Legislativo in Morelia
2012-07-11
Posted by: badanov


By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

About 150 villagers from Cheran municipality invaded and occupied the Chamber of Deputies building in Morelia, Michoacan Tuesday to demand government action involving the abduction of two men Sunday, according to Mexican news accounts.

A news item posted on the website of El Sol de Zacatecas news daily reported that the villagers arrived at the Palacio Legislativo in the capital at about 1100 hrs and immediately blocked entrances to the building. A legislative session was in progress when the occupation began.

Villagers from Cheran have claimed for months that nearby villagers, specifically from El Cerecito, have engaged in illegal logging and have a nexus with organized crime groups in the area, reportedly including La Familia Michoacana drug cartel.

Others claim that villagers from Cheran have engaged in a pattern of criminal conduct to include theft, car jacking, turnstile jumping and the maintenance of illegal toll booths in the area.

Also mopery and dupery on the spaceways, to tie it up with a big bow.

The latest protest comes two days after two villagers, Urbano Macias Rafael, 48, and Guadalupe Geronimo Velazquez, 28, were kidnapped at gunpoint as they attempted to retrieve cattle grazing on a nearby plain. Members of the family of the victims were contacted the same day. No demands have been reported, but it is generally assumed that the kidnappers are from El Cerecito.

Monday several villagers including the victims' family occupied the Cheran municipal hall, forcing town officials to remain inside the town hall against their will, as villagers have blocked all exits. As of 1230 hrs, those officials remained imprisoned inside the town hall.

Ninety minutes later the protesters broke into the session, verbally assaulting legislators and demanding the government take action to release the hostages. Villagers also accused the head of the Muchoacan Chamber of Deputies chair of the Committee for Indigenous People, Partido de Revolucionario Democratica (PRD) deputy Eleazar Aparicio Tercero, of always speaking ill of indigenous peoples. Some of the protesters called Aparicio Tercero a whoremonger and a possum face.

The president of the Chamber of deputies, Victor Silva Tejeda, agreed to hold an executive session with the villagers to deal with the problems. The protesters responded by saying they would remain outside the Palacio Legislativo until the kidnap victims were returned.

The report also said that Silva Tejeda was aware of the planned protest hours in advance but chose not to call police.

Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com