07/24/2023 (written by ksoliscorrales)– On June 29th, 2023, authorities identified the body of Hipólito Mora, a lime farmer and one of the last surviving leaders/founders of Las Autodefensas de La Ruana (“La Ruana self-defense group”) along with three of his bodyguards. The murder of these four individuals took place in Mora’s hometown, La Ruana, Michoacan. According to the Michoacan state prosecutors office, Mora’s vehicle was blocked off by an unidentified hitman, fired upon multiple times, and set ablaze. The unidentified hitman is believed to be affiliated with the Viagras cartel. Insight Crime shared, “An intelligence report has revealed that the armed group the Viagras, which forms part of Mexico’s government-backed vigilante force, is actually a criminal enterprise operating under the façade of the self-defense movement” (David Gagne, 2015).
Hipólito Mora became more than a lime farmer after he assembled the “self-defense” or autodefensas armed movement in 2013, which was responsible for driving out the Knights Templar cartel in 2014. The Knights Templar Cartel was known for kidnappings, extortions, and had full control over crop production, sales, as well as who the consumers were. Mora and his fellow farmers engaged in an armed struggle over their town, until the government of Mexico sent the Mexican army to intervene. The local community celebrated their victory, until a new cartel began infiltrating the movement.
Mora told journalists that after the Knights Templar Cartel disbanded, they were replaced by the Viagras cartel, also known as Carteles Unidos. Hipólito Mora urged for more protection from senior government officials in Mexico City, stating, “In terms of safety, we are worse than ever” (AP News). He criticized the state for focusing their resources and attention on larger cartels like the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, while ignoring “small” homegrown cartels who continue to grow more powerful.
Hipólito Mora had been anticipating his death due to his continued efforts to fight against homegrown cartels while speaking out against organized crime on social media. Mora had survived two previous attacks, one in November 2022 where his bodyguards were able to neutralize the threat by shooting the two gunmen. The second attack took place in March 2023. Mora survived a bullet wound with no serious injuries. The bodyguards who were murdered while protecting Mora on June 29th were assigned to him by the state to ensure his protection. Michoacan’s Governor, Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, had previously ordered Mora to stay in Michaocan’s capital of Morelia but Mora declined due to his desire to continue serving his community.
Governor Bedolla expressed regret over the “cowardly murder” of Hipólito Mora in a tweet, while promising justice. Meanwhile, Hipólito Mora’s brother, Guadalupe Mora Chávez, pressured the state to bring justice immediately or the armed defense groups would rise again. Mora’s brother emphasized, “If the governor does nothing to get us justice in the next few days and get these [gangsters] out of here, we’re going to call on the people; we’re going to take up arms” (AP News). The self defense groups have not been active due to the state providing security in 2014 to stop illegal vigilante groups, and adopted its members into the state police force.
Mora Chávez accused the governor, state police, and the state’s military of being involved with the Viagras cartel. He explained his suspicion given the fact that there was no police, military, or National Guard presence at the time of Mora’s murder. He emphasized the absence of the law enforcement officers by describing that troops left their military base and did not respond to the hour-long ambush, he explains “The townspeople threw buckets of water to put out [the fire] and [the troops] didn’t arrive” (AP News).
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s press conference on the attack, rejected all claims of military or government involvement in the attack. President López Obrador emphasized Mora’s refusal to follow Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla’s orders to stay in Morelia. He went on to condemn former Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa’s decision to launch a militarized war on drug cartels in 2006. AP News quoted President López Obrador’s comment of Mora’s murder as “…a remnant of the violence that the government sponsored and allowed.” Many members of the La Ruana community shared concerns for their safety in the wake of Hipólito Mora’s murder and requested that their identities be hidden in interviews due to fear of retaliation from cartel groups.
Sources
“Anti-gang community defense activist Hipólito Mora slain in Mexico” AP News. https://apnews.com/article/mexico-activist-killed-drug-cartel-bf8cd1c5daf3b84b53d89a45ac2fdfb5
“As Mexican town mourns slain anti-gang leader, brother warns community would take up arms again” AP News. https://apnews.com/article/mexico-hipolito-mora-michoacan-cb882c816cd4936fc2ca271b5e872254
“Hipólito Mora, founder and former leader of the self-defense groups of Michoacán, is assassinated in Mexico” BBC News World. https://www.bbc.com/mundo/articles/cpe9014lqn8o
“Viagras Criminal Group Disguised as Vigilantes in Mexico” Insight Crime. https://insightcrime.org/news/brief/viagras-criminal-group-disguised-as-vigilantes-in-mexico/
“Hipólito Mora, Michoacán self-defense force founder, is murdered” Mexico News Daily. https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/hipolito-mora-michoacan-self-defense-force-founder-is-murdered/
