With federal resources aimed at drug traffickers and local police more often a part of the problem than a part of the solution, vigilantes are stepping into the void. Suspected criminals who run afoul of these vigilantes endure the brunt of a skewed version of justice that enjoys a groundswell of support. In the southern state of Guerrero and crime-wracked Juarez vigilante corps have taken shape, acting as shadowy militias.
Vigilantes focus retribution on suspected burglars, petty thieves and muggers. Such crime is rife in Mexico, and its perpetrators pose a distinctly different threat than the type presented by drug thugs. Many of the alleged criminals are teenagers. Their persecutors are typically older community members, sometimes including the aggrieved parties.
Vigilante justice typically involves harassment, beating and humiliation. The prey are left in public, tied to light posts or the like, and badly beaten. Recently, an example was made of boys suspected of robbery in Tepic, in the state of Nayarit. A video of their punishment was posted on Youtube: “Little Rats of Tepic” showed the boys being forced to kiss, among other indignities. (The video was quickly removed as unsuitable content.)
Support exists for even the most severe form of punishment. In February a retired general shot a 30-year-old man trying to break into his house. Newspaper headlines read “Dead Rat” and “Military Justice.” Public sentiment was strongly in favor of the killing.
The gaping hole in President Calderón’s push to reform Mexico is local governance. Absent effective local police and bureaucracy, problems like vigilantism emerge. Persistent drug violence demands Calderón’s attention in the short-term. Meanwhile, anarchic strife in Mexico’s villages is sure to continue. At some point the Mexican reformer will have to reaffix his gaze.
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