Cherán, Michoacán, finally getting mainstream attention

Cherán, Michoacán is a remarkable tale of a village, predominantly purepechá, that on its own rose up against illegal loggings and organized crime. The city's population have been maintaining barricades and road blocks for more than two months straight, claiming that neither the municipal, state, or federal authorities are helping them fight back an onslaught from organized crime, either the Zetas or La Familia.

Here is an article from yesterday's Washington Post, by Anne-Marie O’Connor and William Booth, entitled "In Mexico, forests fall prey to crime mafias."

It follows an earlier and far more extensive story from Upsidedownworld, by Kristin Bricker, which merits another link, and yet underscores the importance of alternative media to bring important stories out in the mainstream: Mexican Community Uses Barricades to Drive Out Organized Crime and Political Parties