Dear MEL Topic Readers,
The avocado police protecting Mexico's green gold
Mexico produces nearly half of the world avocados. And for Tancítaro, a small town in Southwestern Mexico, avocados are like green gold. They bring jobs and fortune to this city of just around 30,000 residents. What’s remarkable about this community is while the country as a whole is experiencing the most violent year since 2000, it has been enjoying peaceful times. Kidnapping and armed extortions happen to anyone and anywhere in Mexico. Those who are wealthy are good candidates and victims of kidnapping. Valuable produce like the avocado is also a good target for extortions, but there aren’t enough police or military forces to protect this small town from gangs and robbers. The community was left no choice but to form a self-defense force. But instead of simply hiring someone to do the job, they recruited local residents and avocado farmers who are determined to protect their own community and people. They are well trained, armed and even uniformed, and routinely patrol the farms and check the traffic in the town. So far, this self-defense mechanism seems to be working.
Enjoy reading and think if such self-defense forces may become popular in other regions, especially in the Middle East.
No comments:
Post a Comment