By Road and By Zih

Doesn't make me want to run back to that area given the situation. So sad.

Most folks in the area view the autodefensas as good guys. The local police in most towns are infiltrated by organized crime, so many people actually feel safer with the autodefensas putting the pressure on the bad guys to move on. I expect the federal government will sort it out soon enough. The federal government currently enjoys more popular support than it's had in decades. The folks blocking the highway in Palos Blancos are rumored to have been coerced to do so by the local criminals. I don't know if it's true, but I know we are all hopeful the matter will soon be sorted out.

The fact that even when we had no police force for much of the past two years our community didn't resort to looting or violence in the streets says volumes about the goodness and decency of our people here in the region. I love living right here because of the people.