Mexican Vigilantes Disband to Join 'Rural Police Force'

As a result of talks with the Mexican government, vigilante groups patrolling the state of Michoacán have agreed to “disband by May 10” and will be allowed to become part of a “rural police force” in exchange. 

According to Fox News Latino, Alfredo Castillo “headed up the talks” with the vigilantes. The member of President Enrique Peña Nieto’s administration said that in exchange for disbanding, the vigilantes will also be able to keep their weapons–“regardless of whether they join the police force.” But they have to “register [the guns] with the army and keep them at home.”

Castillo told the Los Angeles Times that “beginning May 11, any [armed] person not registered, not uniformed, will be arrested.” 

The administration of President Nieto sees “the disbandment of the vigilantes as an about face from earlier this year when the group said they would not disband until the Mexican government had secured the region.”

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