"Fallen Vigilante Leader Lays to Rest, Taking the Armed Citizens' Movement with Him"
Hipolito Mora, one of the last leaders of Mexico's anti-gang citizens' movement, was buried alongside two of his followers, marking the end of armed civilian resistance to drug cartels. The 2013-2014 movement, which initially succeeded in ousting one cartel, was eventually infiltrated by other drug gangs. The current dominant cartel in Michoacan state, known as the Viagras or the United Cartels, is even more ruthless. While some relatives expressed anger and a desire to revive the movement, many doubted its feasibility. The power of drug cartels has grown over the past decade, and President Lopez Obrador's policy of not confronting them has allowed them to flourish. Mora's funeral was attended by hundreds, but fear of cartel retaliation has silenced many voices against their domination. The priest officiating the funeral emphasized the need for the government to take action, as armed self-defense movements are no longer viable.
