Jerez, Zacatecas: Organized Crime Appropriates Jerez Communities

 “Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat

At least five villages have had to be abandoned.

The war that is being waged by organized crime in the country and in the State has displaced hundreds of families from their communities; they are forced to seek refuge in the larger towns, abandoning their homes, lands, and livestock.

In the communities of Jerez it is not the exception and although in the municipal seat the confrontations are only between criminal groups and police, in the ranches of the sierra the same doesn’t happen.

Members of these groups have deprived hundreds of families of their homes and the towns located on the road that connects the municipal seat of Jerez with Valparaíso have turned them into narco camps.

In some cases, families had to flee against their will.

Crime affects sources of income

The crops and livestock were abandoned due to the war between antagonistic groups fighting for control of the area and the roadway that leads to other towns.

Many fled with a minimal part of their assets, others were removed off their properties and sought refuge with relatives.

Those who lost their homes now live on what remittances provide or the little work that arises in the municipal seat.

It is worth mentioning that Jerez is a municipality where its main source of income, after remittances, is livestock and agriculture; Therefore, as the peach and apple orchards are abandoned, the economic losses are estimated to be strong.

Inhabitants of Palmas Altas are now looking for houses in the municipal seat.

Five communities are uninhabited 

At least five communities are no longer inhabited by their owners; Among them are El Naranjal, La Ordeña Villahermosa, San Cayetano, among other smaller ones that are uninhabitable due to the presence of organized crime.

In addition, in another group of ranches only between 5 and 10% of the total population lives.

Such is the case of Palmas Altas and Plan de Carrillo where, recently, most of the inhabitants fled to the municipal seat and, terrified, sought shelter in small houses in the colonies.

The residents of this municipality are concerned that the groups will begin to invade the outer edge, settling in the colonies; This would further affect security, as occurred in Los García, Chacuaco, Guadalupe Victoria, Los González, Saravia, La Herradura and Tepetate.

In Jerez, citizens continue to wait for the municipal, state and federal authorities to apply a new security strategy. So that they can regain their homes and peace in their lives.

https://imagenzac.com.mx/municipios/se-apropia-crimen-organizado-de-comunidades-de-jerez/