Michoacan News: 'Knights Templar Have Fled' Say Vigilante Groups

Michoacan vigilante leader Estanislao Beltran, spokesperson for the General Council for Community Guards And Self-Defence Groups of Michoacan has claimed that the leaders of the Knights Templar Cartel have fled Michoacan. In an article published in Mexican newspaper 24 Horas, Beltran revealed that according to their information, Enrique “Kike” Plancarte has fled to Puebla, while Nazario Moreno "The Crazy One" has fled to either San Luis Potosí, Tabasco or Guatemala.

In a news conference held in Buevavista, Tomatlan, Beltran invited Alfredo Castillo, the newly appointed Special Commissioner for Michoacan, to travel to the so-called 'Tierra Caliente' as the government official has not yet visited the troubled state. Beltran also revealed that vigilante groups are closing in on the township of Apatzingán, however, he did not reveal if the vigilante group would be attempting to take over the municipality, as they have several others in the state.

The vigilante spokesman also reiterated that they are willing to work with the Federal Government to find a solution to the embattled state's growing security concerns. Following months of rampant violence in Mexico's south-west, residents have complained that corruption endemic in government authorities has resulted in little being done to solve the security crisis, leading citizens to form vigilante groups in February of last year to combat the powerful cartels.

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