Filmmaker Ross McDonnell Documents a Rural Mexico That is Up in Arms Ross McDonnell - The Global Mail
go to original February 22, 2013

Since 2006, when a federal crackdown on drug crime began, Mexico has seen some 65,000 deaths from violent crime, but fewer than one per cent of reported crimes make it to trial. Out of frustration, villagers of the southwestern state of Guerrero have turned vigilante — a movement that is gaining in strength as it grows.

Vigilantes – who were initially sanctioned and partially equipped by the Guerrero state governor – this week released 39 prisoners, after holding many of them for than 30 days in a makeshift jail.

Under pressure from state authorities, the masked group handed 20 captives into state custody at a public ceremony early on Tuesday, and set the others free.

Meanwhile, the vigilante movement, which erupted across rural Guerrero last month, continues to spread and grow stronger. Up to 40 towns across the state are now running some form of community-deputised militia.

Read the whole story at The Global Mail

Filmmaker Ross McDonnell has been meeting with these villagers for the past month. Watch his video and head over to The Global Mail for more on this developing story.

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