Execution-style murders, beheadings, dismemberings, torturings and kidnappings are a part of daily life in every state in Mexico. Gun battles are frequent events in Mexico City and in Mexican towns all along the border. On Jan. 5, the body of Jose Ivan Vasquez Lopez, 43, was found in a trash drum with his head cut off. On Jan. 7, the body of Ricardo Arturo Alvarado Contreras, 45, was found dead in a vacant lot with his hands chopped off. Mexican border town officials, police, journalist and business owners have crossed into the U.S. seeking asylum, fearing for their lives.- Michael Webster, investigative reporter

Juarez, Mexico is located along the United States border just across from El Paso, Texas. Though little more than 1 percent of Mexico’s 105 million population lives in Juarez, it accounted for more one-third of the over 5700 drug related killings in 2008, according to the federal government.

“Walking in the streets of Juarez is an extreme sport”- Tony Payan, an expert on border violence

In one single day, Tuesday, Juarez authorities recovered the decapitated head of a police chief from a town just downriver. Three other heads stuffed into a cooler were left on the steps of a city hall. Two state police detectives were shot to death in their patrol truck in a downtown Juarez parking lot and A Juarez traffic police commander was kidnapped by unknown assailants. These are just the headlines and do not include day to day robberies, rapes, beatings, and extortions.

The city’s police and the Mexican army together have not been able to stop the plague of killings, beheadings, or the extortion targeted business owners, teachers, medical professionals, or the carjackings, kidnappings, robberies and other crime. The citizen’s of Juarez are tired and done with the fear and blood oozing from their streets.

An e-mail began circulating on January 15 around Chihuahua state authored by a group calling itself the Juarez Citizens Command. The group, which claims to be supported by local businesses affected by the sharp rise in violence in Ciudad Juarez, vowed to kill one criminal every 24 hours to end the lawlessness in the city. The e-mail also stated that within several days the CCJ would distribute a manifesto calling on all citizens fed up with the violence to join it’s “post- revolutionary movement”.

“Better the death of a bad person, than that bad person continue contaminating our region. Our mission is to finish each 24 hours with the life of a criminal. The hour has come to stop this disorder in Juárez”- CCJ

The CCJ stated that it is not linked to any political party and that it is paid for by business owners fed up with crime. On Thursday, January 22 a second communication, signed by leaders identified only as Comandante Abraham and Sub-Comandante Gabriel “Durito”, was sent to the El Paso Times and the New York Times via email setting a deadline of July 5 to begin carrying out its threat to kill a criminal a day if order is not restored to Juarez.

Chihuahua Attorney General Patricia Gonzalez saying there was no evidence of a vigilante movement but anonymous sources within the Mexican government reported that authorities have reason to believe the e-mails are not a hoax, and that they are exploring two theories regarding who sent it. One maintains that a small group of citizens and business owners sent the message, while the maintains the possibility that a criminal group aiming to use the e-mail as cover for upcoming actions.

“The CCJ declares war on the thieves, kidnappers and extortionists that have put in risk the rights of citizens and reiterates its plan to terminate the life of a criminal every 24 hours for the good of all Juarenses. If order is not restored by midnight July 5, the CCJ will take to the streets with its army of men and women to do what the government could not. The government wants to believe that we don’t exist, But we are closer than they think.”- Juarez Citizens Command, CCJ

The communication stated the CCJ believes in government institutions but not in “political parties that have lied to Juárez.” The document also stated that the CCJ would not attempt to replace government, that it is willing to share information with the military and will launch a Web site no later than Feb. 2.

“We really consider it is a strategy by a criminal organization to generate more violence and destabilize society in Ciudad Juárez,” Patricia Gonzalez, Juarez attorney general

On Jan. 16, the El Paso Times offered a very interesting opinion poll on their website. The poll asked the question “With violence raging in Juarez, is vigilantism the answer?” What follows are the results of that poll after a total of 2,547 respondents:

“I’m not sure, but at this point, it’s probably worth a try.”…29%

“Yes, nothing else has worked, and it’s time for the people to take matters into their own hands.”…59%

Whether or not the Juárez Citizens Command will actually emerge as an actual force to confront the cartels, remains to be seen. One way to measure whether the CCJ represents a true vigilante group will be to examine the criminal associations of their victims, assuming, of course, they actually begin their vigilante killings. If the CCJ’s victims are all associated with one rival cartel, it will be hard to believe that it is not simply an existing cartel group using the CCJ as cover.

If the e-mail actually marks the beginning of a new vigilante group in Juarez, this would not be the first brush with vigilantism in response to Mexico’s drug violence.

La Familia organization in Michoacan state began as a local vigilante response to drug trafficking in June of 2006, in Apatzingán, Michoacán. A man was found executed with the message “For those who don’t believe and are not loyal” scrawled across his shirt. Local authorities thought it to be the work of the warring Sinaloa and Gulf Cartels until three months later, on Sept. 6, another note appeared, this time accompanied by five heads. The note on a piece of large card, as well as the human heads, had been dumped on the dance floor of a popular night club.

“La Familia doesn’t kill for money, doesn’t kill women, doesn’t kill innocent people. It only kills those who deserve to die. Everyone should know this: Divine justice.”

In the past, many Michoacanos said La Familia, based out of the state capital of Morelia, instilled an appealing sense of order and respect at a time when our nation’s warring cartels were becoming increasingly violent and hostile. In its early days, its members spoke of the ills of methamphetamine to society, and of protecting Michoacán’s youth.

La Familia, the Family, preached love and unity in Michoacan. Its members regularly attend church, walk around carrying Bibles, and distribute the Good Book in local government offices, according to residents and local reporters.

“We are for the people, we work on your behalf, not against you. We will protect you”. - La Familia

But that was before, the past. In recent months, authorities believe La Familia has formed its own cartel, too, and is increasingly expanding its turf to include the State of Mexico and the nation’s capital. Several years after its vigilante founding, the group has evolved into one of the state’s most notorious kidnapping and drug-trafficking groups.

What began as a small group of armed men on the prowl to protect their kids from meth has turned into a first-rate criminal outfit … that is just as well-armed and organized as any top-tier drug smuggling organization in Mexico”.

Recently, a body had been found in the trunk of a Chevy Corsa parked in the southern Mexico City neighborhood of Coyoacán, with a note attached.

“For not paying. Sincerely, La Familia”, the note read.

I will admit, the drug war is out of control, we are being held hostage by narco-terrorist in every city of every state, but adding a group or groups of armed citizen vigilantes will only complicate matters.

There is a call for the public to remain calm. In anger, this could start an uncontrollable wave of unjust deaths. Movements of this nature are directed more by a sense of vengeance than of justice.” -Andres Andreu, a Juárez representative in the Chihuahua state congress said in a statement condemning vigilantism and urging authorities to do more to stop the violence.

We must maintain strong and not give up hope that one day we will see the return of our nation, a new Independence Day.