Mexican vigilantes seize town from drug cartel.
 

Vigilantes seized a drug cartel's bastion in western Mexico, sparking a shootout as the civilian militias gain new ground in their struggle against drug gangs in a violence-lagued region.

Looks good but could these "vigilantes" be on the payroll of another organization? ;)

http://news.yahoo.com/mexican-vigila...220248151.html

Here's a decent Foreign Affairs article that's related:

http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articl...defense-forces

The rise of Mexico's self-defense/vigilante groups "smells" too big, consistent, and comprehensive to be a spontaneous response.

I guess the question to ask is who benefits the most from their rise?

Who are the groups targeting and why?

Will this self-defense/vigilante group effort have any direct/indirect influence over drug and human trafficking into the US?

I'm guessing this could represent a rather considerable demobilization problem in the future.

Agree, but it's nothin' new down south.

So could it be classified as lots of overlapping local Godfather(Mexican Edition) networks?

It's interesting how there seem to be a lot of seemingly independent ultra local self defense organisations popping onto the radar in a short time frame, or it's been happening all along and it suits to push it in the media, or I simply don't understand how Mexico works.

It's an area of interest for me at it kinda feels like the "best" window into the future for the overlap of state and non-state actor governance and legitimacy, mashed together with transnational crime and terrorism, and that grey area in the middle of the continuum between law enforcement on one end and military action on the other.

There's an active Mexican Marine I have some mutual friends with who I'm hoping to catch up with someday to get his take on what's happening in his country.

Watch "The Magnificent Seven". ;)

Understood! ;)

Great flick…..

"or I simply don't understand how Mexico works." Flagg

First rule of law in Mexico- There is no law.

Second rule of law- The police are not your friends. To them, you are an economic opportunity.

Third rule of law- Governmental officials/offices- See Second rule...