Justifiable Violence, or Vigilante Justice? Citizen Groups in Mexico Aim to Fight Back at Cartel Violence

As the fight for turf inches closer to the border, a number of citizen vigilante groups are stepping up to shut down the violence in Mexico.

Doctors, lawyers, farmers, and common citizens in Mexico are joining together and picking up arms in an attempt to stop the violence in their nation. But are these vigilantes, who arrive armed with weapons and masks, a viable -- and humane -- alternative to cartels?

Ultimately, that answer depends on who you ask.

If you're weighing the violence in Mexico for citizens in the nation, the answer to that question is a resounding yes. After all, the suffering Mexico has seen from growing cartel control in recent years is staggering.

Homicide rates have tripled since 2007, and the body count at the hands of the cartel sits well above 100,000, putting the casualties of cartel violence at a higher number than some wars.

Pick up a paper or flip on the news, and the horrors of the drug wars are splayed across headlines. Warnings of decapitations and kidnappings, or tales of the horrors of cartel crime in Mexico are all too real, especially for the residents who must live out the carnage. 

And while the Mexican government has made an an effort to stem the carnage, it's been a slow process. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto created an elite national police force of 10,000 officers to address growing concerns about cartel control in 2013, and there does seem to be some improvement in areas.

But police corruption in Mexico runs high, and with violence running so deep through Mexico's veins, addressing the cartel will be an uphill battle for authorities.

Ultimately, that's why these vigilante groups have stepped in.

Donning rifles and machetes, these citizen groups are ready to fight back against the narco-traffickers. They patrol towns and farmland, mainly at night, and are always on the lookout for cartel crimes.

In some cases, they are successful at doing what the Mexican government has failed to do in decades: pushing back the cartel. 

In the small town of Hidalgo, about 130 miles away from the Texas border, these vigilantes who go by the name "Pedro Mendez Column," have managed to stem the tide of violence in their small community. Once controlled by Los Zetas, the town of Hidalgo is virtually free of cartel-related kidnapping, which was rampant prior to the vigilantes.

Handfuls of these vigilante groups report success with their efforts. Life in their small towns has improved, and citizens are grateful. But look a little deeper, and there's a problem: these groups are killing, too. 

Pedro Mendez Column makes no bones about their methods, justifying the murder of cartel members as a justifiable means to an end for cartels.

"The column only kills kidnappers and drug traffickers. They don't allow extortion or threaten honest people," Guerrero told GlobalPost, speaking in his town hall, which is decorated with paintings of Mexico's independence and revolutionary heroes.

"It is much safer with them."

And other groups are quick to claim their methods, though violent, are necessary for battling the war against cartels. Human rights groups, however, aren't so sure.

Critics warn that vigilantes may only add to Mexico's cycle of violence. Shoot-outs between vigilante groups and are prevalent, and bystanders are often caught in the crossfire. 

With much of the vigilante push-back happening near border towns, these increasingly violent methods have caused temporary shutdowns of crossings into Texas. 

Still, their methods are legal in Mexico under a provision that allows them to act out as a faction of law enforcement. They are given badges and uniforms, but must register or face consequences, according to guidelines. 

Weapons and firearms are difficult to obtain legally in Mexico, but the nation is awash with illegal weapons, which many of the vigilante groups take up in their fight.

One notorious vigilante leader, Jose Manuel Mireles, was arrested in Mexico recently for possessing illegal weapons. A number of group members were detained along with him after officers found hand grenades and an arsenal of firearms in their possession. 

But whether their methods are archaic or not, the towns devastated by violence are often grateful for the help, at least according to vigilante accounts. And for many in the towns plagued by cartel violence and bloodshed, these groups are their only hope for a normal life.