Armed children in Guerrero: Mexico
Armed children in Guerrero, Mexico, are part of the local autonomous police force to combat crime.
The images have made headlines around the world; children armed with rifles, dressed in olive green uniforms and with their faces covered, 20 children from a Mexican community in the state of Guerrero were presented as new members of the local autonomous police force.
The armed children in Guerrero were introduced at a town meeting in Ayahualtempa; local leaders said that the 15 boys and 5 girls, aged between 11 and 15 years old, will assume surveillance duties as part of efforts to confront the criminal groups that have plagued the population in recent weeks.
The latest attack, they reported, was against an entire family on January 19.
According to some community members, the formation of minors is “legal.”
The government of Guerrero has stated that the state law, which recognizes indigenous peoples’ governance and self-management, including security aspects, does not support the integration of children into self-defense groups.
“We will file the corresponding complaints because no one can violate children’s rights.
Armed children in Guerrero ¿Strategy?
Arming children is not an appropriate strategy,” said Ludwig Marcial Reynoso, the state Secretary of Government, on Thursday, January 25, 2024.
Already in 2020, armed children in Guerrero were presented as part of a community police force in the neighboring town of Alcozacán as a pressure tactic against local authorities amid the violence.
The communities in these villages in the La Montaña region of Guerrero have suffered years of violence from criminal groups, which intensified since 2021.
Initially, it was the criminal group “Los Rojos” that controlled the region, which is a center for drug production and trafficking, such as poppy and marijuana.
However, the regional community police fragmented, and in Ayahualtempa, they created their own self-defense group.
The parade of armed children in 2020 sparked national and international reactions, but authorities negotiated with residents for their dismantling.
However, in Ayahualtempa, they have taken this measure again due to the increased violence and government neglect.
Regarding the carrying of weapons for the armed children in Guerrero, they claim that it is permitted for .22 caliber pistols, and it is protected by law known as 701, which guarantees the rights and autonomy of indigenous peoples.
However, this does not cover the creation of squads of underage individuals.
At the community meeting last Wednesday attended by Palma, leaders assured that the children would only perform surveillance tasks.
After the presentation of armed children in Guerrero, Ayahualtempa, officials from the Guerrero government traveled to Alcozacán, where they held a joint meeting of the two communities.
The state government has been under scrutiny following a 24% increase in homicides between 2022 and 2023, according to official figures released this month.
Additionally, major cities like Acapulco and Taxco have experienced transport strikes due to violence since the beginning of the year.
Governor Evelyn Salgado has opted to replace the head of state security with a military official, General Rolando Solano Rivera, in an attempt to tackle the situation.
But while the new strategy is put into action, on Thursday, the armed minors were still lined up at the municipal headquarters of Ayahualtempa.
Read more: The ICJ ruling on Gaza: Keys.
Pictures: BBC
