La Familia Michoacana Runs an Ad: We Chop Heads Because We Care
And because we're ruthless in our pursuit of rival rackets.
Mexican drug gang runs newspaper ads
By MARK STEVENSON, Associated Press Writer
Thu Nov 23, 9:22 PM ET
A violent Mexican drug gang took out a rare, half-page ad in newspapers in which they claimed to be anti-crime vigilantes who wanted to stop kidnapping, robbery and the sale of methamphetamine in the western state of Michoacan.
The Family, a shadowy group believed to be allied to Mexico's Gulf drug cartel, has claimed responsibility in the past for bloody killings, such as a Sept. 6 attack in which gunmen dumped five severed human heads into a bar in the Michoacan city of Uruapan.
Those and other heads discovered since have been accompanied by hand-lettered, poorly spelled notes, but it was apparently the first time the group had taken out newspaper ads.
The newspaper El Sol of Morelia, 135 miles west of Mexico City, confirmed that the half-page ad ran in Wednesday's editions.
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The Family appears to be fighting the Milenio Cartel — which in turn is believed to be allied with the Sinaloa Cartel — for control of drug trafficking routes in Michoacan.
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Local media reports said thousands of leaflets were left in Morelia with the group's message.
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Another Morelia newspaper, La Voz de Michoacan, confirmed it ran a similar ad from the group.It's not the first time that the group has used strange rhetoric to depict itself as the good guys. The sign left with the five severed heads on Sept. 6. read "The family doesn't kill for money. It doesn't kill women. It doesn't kill innocent people, only those who deserve to die."
The Michoacan Family
Who are we?
Common workers from the hot lands region in the state of Michoacan, organized by the need to end the oppression, the humiliation to which we have constantly been subjected by people who have always had power, which in turn allowed them to perpetrate all kinds of dirty tricks and abuses in the state. These include members of the Milenio cartel, those named Valencia, and other gangs, like the Gang of 30, who from the 80s until today have terrorized much of the state, above all the areas of Puruarán, Turicato, Tacámbaro, and Ario de Rosales, and who have carried out kidnappings, extortions, and other crimes that disturb Michoacan´s peace.
Mission:
Eradicate from the state of Michoacan kidnapping, extortion in person and by telephone, paid assassinations, express kidnapping, tractor-trailer and auto theft, home robberies done by people like those mentioned, who have made the state of Michoacan an unsafe place. Our sole motive is that we love our state and are no longer willing to see our people’s dignity trampled on.
Perhaps at this time there are people who don’t understand us, but we know that in the areas most affected they understand our actions, since now it is possible to ward off these delinquents who come from other states and whom we will not allow to enter Michoacan and continue committing crimes.
We are eradicating completely from the state the retail sale of the lethal drug known as ice, as it is one of the worst drugs, one that causes irreversible damage to society. We are going to prohibit the sale of altered wine said to come from Tepito. We know that what comes from there is of poor quality.
Objective:
To maintain the universal values of the people, to which they have full right.
Unfortunately, in order to eradicate the ills we have mentioned, we have had to resort to robust strategies, as we have seen that this is the only way to bring order to the state. We will not allow it to get out of control again.
Why did we form?
When the Michoacan Family organization began, we did not expect that it would be possible to get rid of kidnapping, paid assassination, fraud, and the sale of the drug known as ice. But thanks to the great number of people who have had faith, we are achieving control over this great problem in the state.
The Family is a group of people has grown, such that at this moment we cover the entire state of Michoacan. This organization sprang from the firm commitment to fight the out-of-control crime that existed in our state.
The Family has achieved great, important advances by fighting these problems little by little, but we still cannot declare victory. We can say that the state has seen an 80% improvement with regards to these problems. We have also reduced kidnapping by the same percentage.
People who work decently at any activity need not worry. We respect them, but we will not allow people from here or from other states to commit crimes or try to control other types of activities.
When we first began to organize and proposed putting an end to the street sale of the drug known as ice, many told us that not even First World countries have been able to get it under control. Nonetheless, we are doing it.
For reflection:
What would you do as a resident of Michoacan? Would you join the family if you saw that we are fighting these crimes? Or would you let them proliferate? Give us your opinion.
You, family man. I ask you: Would you like to see your son out on the streets in danger of getting involved in drugs or crime?
Would you support this organization in its fight against the maladies that attack our state?
The media have been responsible and objective in their coverage of events that have occurred. We appreciate their impartiality and thank them for their coverage of our actions.
Other countries have not even seen such organizations formed on the people's behalf, and yet we have already begun… Success depends on the support and understanding of Michoacan society.
Sincerely,
The Michoacan Family
Responsible for publication: Juan Carlos García Cornejo
