America’s appetite for avocados is keeping this Mexican town safe from murderous gangs
The financial rewards from producing 80 per cent of the fruit imported to the US have led to a grass roots police force made up mostly of farmers from Tancitaro
Avocados may be the key ingredient in one of many peoples’ favourite snacks, but here in this rural region of Michoacan, the fruit serves a greater purpose than just making guacamole. Avocados help keep a town safe from the violence that is plaguing so much of Mexico.
The financial rewards that have come from producing 80 per cent of the avocados imported to the US have led to a citizen council and police force made up mostly of avocado farmers taking back the town of Tancitaro from violent criminals over the past four years.
It’s simple, said Jose Antonio Flores Quezada, 29, a farmer turned policeman: “The more Americans eat guacamole, the better off we are. Avocados are our livelihood.”
Aguacate Sur is a small village within Tancitaro, which spends an estimated US$1.2 million annually to fund a quasi police force known as CUSEPT, a Spanish acronym for Public Security Corps. About half of the council’s funding comes from powerful avocado producers in Tancitaro.
Before the citizens council and CUSEPT existed, ruthless organisations such as Jalisco Generation, New Cartel, Knights Templar and La Familia kidnapped, extorted and killed locals, using profits from avocado farmers to finance their criminal enterprises.
