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Abstract
The so-called self-defense forces in Mexico must be seen as a form of vigilantism generated by an incipient process of democratization that has not produced the institutional quality necessary to contain the activity of organized crime groups driven, essentially, by the high demand for drugs in the United States. Our qualitative analysis of Mexico’s Tierra Caliente (‘Hotlands’) revealed profound processes of institutional deterioration in politics and the economy that have created conditions ripe for vigilantism. In the absence of substantial improvements in the quality of Mexico’s democracy, especially at the levels of state and municipal government, the emergence of other forms of vigilantism and ongoing violence are foreseeable.
Highlights
The objective of this work is to analyze the so‐called self‐defense forces that have formed in the Tierra Caliente region of the state of Michoacán
As of 2016, several self‐defense forces are still active in the state of Michoacán, and outbreaks of violence are common as these groups block highways, organize demonstrations, and burn vehicles to pressure the government to respond to a broad range of demands, from urgently needed public works to freeing their jailed leaders
It seems that the phenomenon of vigilantism has come to stay in Michoacán
Summary
The objective of this work is to analyze the so‐called self‐defense forces that have formed in the Tierra Caliente region of the state of Michoacán. They are conceptualized as a form of vigilantism that emerged in the context of the development processes of democratic systems still marked by inefficiency. This study analyzes the formation of these militarized groups from the perspective of democratic development, describing specific, singular features of vigilantism in Michoacán, including the fact that it is a transnational phenomenon, and that it seeks to socially vindicate public security as a fundamental right of citizens. It presents a series of suggestions for public policies directed to governments in Mexico and the US, since the latter is an important actor in the dynamics of self‐defense forces in Mexico. The quality of Mexico’s democracy can be improved in the medium‐term by the social pressure that groups of citizens like these vigilantes in Michoacán can exert
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