Army deactivates mines in Michoacán; explosives in drones cause greater fear

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Newspaper La Jornada
Sunday, February 20, 2022, p. eleven

Naranjo de Chila, Mich., The patrol enters the dirt road. The soldiers get out and begin to walk carefully, led by an officer with a metal detector. Pi-pi-piiii, listening. Upon detecting a potential mine, they return, put on anti-explosive equipment and deactivate it.

The scene could be common in other parts of the world, but in Mexico it was not until now.

This week, the Michoacán authorities formally recognized the first civilian victim of a landmine: an elderly man whose truck ran over the rudimentary explosive planted in territory disputed by the Jalisco cartel. New generation (CJNG) and the local criminal group The Viagras. But the victims could be more.

According to the military man who demonstrated his work to the press, he has deactivated more than 25 mines of this type in the territories where the leader of the CJNGNemesio Oseguera Cervantes, one of the most wanted fugitives by Mexico and the United States.

Homemade explosives can be activated by a cell phone, by pressure or by mixing two chemicals, he explained.

Last week, an army vehicle was disabled by an improvised explosive placed on a road and 10 soldiers were injured, although it is not clear whether as a result of the mine or other weapons. That was the first successful use of this type of explosive against a military target in Mexico.

However, explosives aboard drones have generated more fear in Michoacán than mines and it is not uncommon to see tin roofs with holes from the impact of those bombs dropped from the air.

The armed forces already have a presence in municipalities that were taken over by the cartels for months. The soldiers say that since they arrived they see more people on the streets, but in reality the fear is still present.

A woman on a motorcycle who identifies herself only as María Mercedes only repeats that everything is calm.

We’re fine, thank God… it’s the same, before I was calm too, it was normal. You can’t speak or say anything either, he pointed. However, without giving details, she says that she left a nearby community because of the violence.

Michoacán is coveted by drug cartels for its seaport, key to drug trafficking routes, but also for the opportunity to extort money from avocado and lemon producers, who are threatened with death if they do not pay the criminal groups.