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| Opponent of Mexico’s Cartels Is Detained in Vigilantes’ Deaths | Opponent of Mexico’s Cartels Is Detained in Vigilantes’ Deaths |
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| MEXICO CITY — Hipólito Mora often said that he started the first self-defense group in the Mexican state of Michoacán to end the boundless cruelty of the Knights Templar cartel — the killing, the extortion, and the monopolistic control it exerted over local lime growers. | MEXICO CITY — Hipólito Mora often said that he started the first self-defense group in the Mexican state of Michoacán to end the boundless cruelty of the Knights Templar cartel — the killing, the extortion, and the monopolistic control it exerted over local lime growers. |
| Now, a little over a year later, Mr. Mora, 58, whose ever-present cowboy hat and national commentary have made him the public face of Mexico’s vigilante movement, is accused of the very same offenses. | Now, a little over a year later, Mr. Mora, 58, whose ever-present cowboy hat and national commentary have made him the public face of Mexico’s vigilante movement, is accused of the very same offenses. |
| He was detained on Tuesday as a suspect in the death of two men working with a rival self-defense group, Mexican authorities said, heightening fears that what began as a citizen push for peace is now morphing into another layer of violent conflict over money and power in a region that has been out of control for years. | He was detained on Tuesday as a suspect in the death of two men working with a rival self-defense group, Mexican authorities said, heightening fears that what began as a citizen push for peace is now morphing into another layer of violent conflict over money and power in a region that has been out of control for years. |
| “Mora’s arrest tells us about the risks of vigilantes, acting according to their own standards,” said Rául Benítez Manaut, a security analyst at Mexico’s National Autonomous University. But, he added: “They are in a state where justice is a very relative thing; they are used to living in a context where justice dos not exist.” | “Mora’s arrest tells us about the risks of vigilantes, acting according to their own standards,” said Rául Benítez Manaut, a security analyst at Mexico’s National Autonomous University. But, he added: “They are in a state where justice is a very relative thing; they are used to living in a context where justice dos not exist.” |
| The arrest is already being questioned by Mr. Mora’s allies. On the Facebook page that has become the group’s main forum, several people defended him, contending that he was a victim of a conspiracy because he had accused many of the other self-defense groups — including the group with the two men who were found dead Saturday in a burned-out pickup truck — of being infiltrated by the Knights Templar and other drug gangs. | The arrest is already being questioned by Mr. Mora’s allies. On the Facebook page that has become the group’s main forum, several people defended him, contending that he was a victim of a conspiracy because he had accused many of the other self-defense groups — including the group with the two men who were found dead Saturday in a burned-out pickup truck — of being infiltrated by the Knights Templar and other drug gangs. |
| “The arrest of Hipólito Mora is a mistake,” said Father Gregorio López, a local Roman Catholic priest. “He is the only one not corrupted by criminals.” | “The arrest of Hipólito Mora is a mistake,” said Father Gregorio López, a local Roman Catholic priest. “He is the only one not corrupted by criminals.” |
| Mr. Mora and his men in the village of La Ruana have long had a testy relationship with the self-defense forces in the neighboring town of Buenavista, which are led by Luis Antonio Torres Gonzalez , known as “El Americano.” In December, Mr. Mora could often be heard on his cellphone arguing with the Buenavista leadership over deals they had made related to local lime groves. | Mr. Mora and his men in the village of La Ruana have long had a testy relationship with the self-defense forces in the neighboring town of Buenavista, which are led by Luis Antonio Torres Gonzalez , known as “El Americano.” In December, Mr. Mora could often be heard on his cellphone arguing with the Buenavista leadership over deals they had made related to local lime groves. |
| Those groves, the heart and cash register of the local economy, have been crucial in Michoacán’s self-defense movement from the beginning. In December, Mr. Mora said he decided to form his group in early 2013 after a lime-packaging plant controlled by the Knights Templars refused to accept limes picked by his son. The cartel, he said, had gone too far, extorting pickers and limiting how much was packaged for export in order to drive up prices. | Those groves, the heart and cash register of the local economy, have been crucial in Michoacán’s self-defense movement from the beginning. In December, Mr. Mora said he decided to form his group in early 2013 after a lime-packaging plant controlled by the Knights Templars refused to accept limes picked by his son. The cartel, he said, had gone too far, extorting pickers and limiting how much was packaged for export in order to drive up prices. |
| The goal of his self-defense group, he said, was to create a better, more just economy for his town and others. In mid-December, when a government helicopter arrived in a La Ruana pasture to take Mr. Mora to Mexico City to speak with top government officials, he carried in his shirt pocket a list of requests, including money for a university. | The goal of his self-defense group, he said, was to create a better, more just economy for his town and others. In mid-December, when a government helicopter arrived in a La Ruana pasture to take Mr. Mora to Mexico City to speak with top government officials, he carried in his shirt pocket a list of requests, including money for a university. |
| By that time Mr. Mora was already a well-known symbol of what he calls “the movement,” with his comments found almost daily in Mexican newspapers. But his fame soared a few weeks later when President Enrique Peña Nieto announced a $3.4 billion plan in Michoacán for job creation, education, health, infrastructure and pensions. | By that time Mr. Mora was already a well-known symbol of what he calls “the movement,” with his comments found almost daily in Mexican newspapers. But his fame soared a few weeks later when President Enrique Peña Nieto announced a $3.4 billion plan in Michoacán for job creation, education, health, infrastructure and pensions. |
| The government plan included efforts to work with self-defense groups, and together they have had some success against the Knights Templar. Vigilante groups control about 15 of Michoacán’s townships, and high-profile arrests and killings of gang suspects have risen. | The government plan included efforts to work with self-defense groups, and together they have had some success against the Knights Templar. Vigilante groups control about 15 of Michoacán’s townships, and high-profile arrests and killings of gang suspects have risen. |
| On Sunday, Mexican authorities said they had killed Nazario Moreno González, the head of the Knights Templar cartel, also known as the Templarios. | On Sunday, Mexican authorities said they had killed Nazario Moreno González, the head of the Knights Templar cartel, also known as the Templarios. |
| But with some success and its spoils, the rivalry between Mr. Mora and Mr. Torres seems to have intensified. A few months ago, Mr. Mora always waved when Mr. Torres drove by in his black Range Rover — seized from a Knights Templar leader, Mr. Mora said. | But with some success and its spoils, the rivalry between Mr. Mora and Mr. Torres seems to have intensified. A few months ago, Mr. Mora always waved when Mr. Torres drove by in his black Range Rover — seized from a Knights Templar leader, Mr. Mora said. |
| More recently, Mr. Mora has suggested that too many of Mr. Torres’s colleagues have questionable loyalties. Critics of Mr. Mora have accused him of holding onto lime groves taken from the Knights Templar, rather than returning the land to its rightful owners. Both men have rejected the accusations. | |
| Mexico’s broader question of which groups are clean, and which are criminal, has been impossible to answer. American officials say they believe some groups are receiving weapons and support from different drug gangs, but that it is hard to prove where groups fall on the spectrum of honest to corrupted. | Mexico’s broader question of which groups are clean, and which are criminal, has been impossible to answer. American officials say they believe some groups are receiving weapons and support from different drug gangs, but that it is hard to prove where groups fall on the spectrum of honest to corrupted. |
| The conflict between Mr. Mora and Mr. Torres is simply the most obvious sign of the problem. On Monday, the Mexican government sent hundreds of police and soldiers to La Ruana to try to mediate between the two men. | The conflict between Mr. Mora and Mr. Torres is simply the most obvious sign of the problem. On Monday, the Mexican government sent hundreds of police and soldiers to La Ruana to try to mediate between the two men. |
| “We cannot permit this kind of confrontation to occur,” said Alfredo Castillo, the federal government’s envoy to Michoacán. On Wednesday, he added that Mr. Mora refused to turn over members of his group suspected of the killings, and that there was evidence suggesting Mr. Mora knew about them in advance and may have consented. | “We cannot permit this kind of confrontation to occur,” said Alfredo Castillo, the federal government’s envoy to Michoacán. On Wednesday, he added that Mr. Mora refused to turn over members of his group suspected of the killings, and that there was evidence suggesting Mr. Mora knew about them in advance and may have consented. |
| Experts warn that the longer the battle between vigilantes goes on, the greater the risk of increased violence and frustration with the government’s inability to establish a lasting peace. | Experts warn that the longer the battle between vigilantes goes on, the greater the risk of increased violence and frustration with the government’s inability to establish a lasting peace. |
| “The government should be very careful,” said Mr. Benitez, the security analyst. “They can’t start arresting vigilantes indiscriminately, because people expect them to arrest Templarios, not vigilantes.” | “The government should be very careful,” said Mr. Benitez, the security analyst. “They can’t start arresting vigilantes indiscriminately, because people expect them to arrest Templarios, not vigilantes.” |