Photo: Pedro Pardo / AFP / Getty Images
By: The Opinion Updated 22 Nov 2022, 15: 54 pm EST
Michoacán is a beautiful Mexican state that has been overshadowed by the rampant violence that prevails in it, which impacts various sectors of the population, as occurs with the production and sale of lemons, a commercial activity that has been controlled by organized crime, causing a spiral of situations.
According to the newspaper La Jornada, the inhabitants and producers of Buenavista Tomatlán claim to be experiencing a “terrible economic crisis” , not only because members of organized crime took over citrus production, but also because they have taken over the supply of basic necessities, which they sell to local merchants at prices up to 54 percent higher than normal.
This region of Tierra Caliente, which in 2013 saw the emergence of the self-defense groups, making a watershed in the history of Mexico, has ne around 15, cultivable hectares of sour lemon, in which about 4,04 ejidatarios and small producers. The average number of hectares owned by each person is between two and four, but they are governed by the rules of organized crime .
The Michoacan Family started the tragedy
The situation dates from 2013, when La Familia Michoacana reigned in the state, it was then when Jesús “El Chango” Méndez ordered that citrus be cut only at certain times and days of the week.
An orchard owner said that the criminal leader gave a clear order, accompanied by threats , because whoever was caught disobeying him would be fined 5, pesos, if he reoffended they would be 11,, but in case of a third time he would be physically punished.
For this purpose, boards were used as a kind of shovel with little holes, and they beat them on the buttocks, the holes made their skin burst; In this way, they beat several producers and began to take control by force.
The Michoacán Family lost strength in the state, new groups arrived criminals, but that practice did not go away, since it was later implemented by The Knights Templar and, currently, by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) producer and cutters.
The price of lemons has risen stratospherically on several occasions , affecting the entire population of the country, and although weather conditions have been an important factor for this, what has been experienced in Michoacán is another reason.
Michoacán is the pri largest lemon producer nationwide , produces 675, tons of citrus annually, the majority, in the municipalities of Apatzingán, Buenavista, Parácuaro, Aguililla, Tepalcatepec and Mújica.
Its warm climate is excellent so that citrus can be grown all year round, but many of the producing regions are now haunts of bloodthirsty hitmen , who have devastated the lives of the inhabitants.
The beauty of the state and its fertile land are they have stained with the blood of the people, who no longer know how to live in that situation, those who stay, resist, but the cost is very high.
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