Guerrero state, on Mexico's Pacific coast, is one of the most dangerous regions in the country. Drug related violence has severely damaged the tourist trade in Acapulco in recent years, and it shows no sign of recovering anytime soon.
In a small community in the northern part of the state, police this morning reported the discovery of 13 decapitated dogs. The bodies of the stray animals had been left on a public road, an event which police said was unprecedented.
A message was left near the remains. "This is what's going to happen to the rats and kidnappers, watch yourselves you traitorous dogs, we're going to clean up the plaza (commercial area)." The warning was left by a group calling itself "La Fantasma." Police said they had not previously heard of the organization, but pointed out that the message was clearly directed to drug cartels operating in the area. Such threats, or narcomensajes, are frequently left at the scene of violent crimes by drug cartels or those who claim to be fighting them.
Law enforcement authorities continue to debate whether vigilantes or paramilitaries are at work in Mexico. Several months ago a group calling itself Los Matazetas -- or the Zeta killers -- surfaced via a YouTube posting. They vowed to clean up the city of Veracruz, which closely rivals Acapulco in extreme narcoviolence, and said that they were merely trying to assist police. The Mexican government's position is that such organizations are themselves criminal, and quite probably competitors of larger drug cartels.
Are Los Matazetas vigilantes?: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/09/mexicos-new-vigilantes-los-matas-zetas.html.
No paramilitaries in Mexico, says government: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/10/los-matazetas-are-just-competing-drug.html.
El vigilantismo y el riesgo paramilitar en mexico: http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/809820.html.
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