Organized Crime Violence Forces Southern Mexican Communities to Flee to Tijuana Seeking Protection
The violence caused by organized crime is forcing communities in southern Mexico to flee as far as Tijuana, seeking protection after suffering threats, murders, armed attacks, and the seizure of their lands by criminal groups.
This is the case of two Nahua families who fled the Indigenous community of Teticic, located in the High Mountain region of Guerrero, after fearing for their lives following the murders of some of their relatives.
Among the displaced people, a total of 13 individuals were first transferred to Mexico City and later taken to Tijuana on a Mexican Army aircraft after authorities determined that traveling by road represented a risk to their safety.
Their arrival reflects an increasingly visible dimension of forced internal displacement in Mexico: people abandoning their communities to survive and eventually traveling more than 2,000 kilometers to border cities where they seek protection and even consider applying for asylum in the United States.
“We are very afraid. They are looking for us,” said one of the displaced women, who requested that her identity remain confidential and stated that the threats began after several members of her family were murdered.
The displaced families are currently staying at the Ágape Shelter in Tijuana, a facility that traditionally receives foreign migrants but that, on this occasion, opened its doors to Mexicans displaced by violence.
The shelter’s director, Albert Rivera, stated that these families are part of a much larger exodus and estimated that around 500 residents have left the community of Teticic due to insecurity.
The testimonies agree that violence intensified through murders, threats, and attacks against homes, as criminal groups sought to take control of the territory.
One displaced resident explained that his father and two nephews disappeared after going to a family-owned property. Hours earlier, drones had flown over their home.
“No one is involved in anything (wrong),” he said, explaining that at first they believed the devices were only recording the houses.
Rivera stated that several residents also reported fires and armed attacks against their homes.
“They bombed them with drones,” he said, describing the situation the community faced before the displacement.
According to the shelter director, some of those affected owned around 800 hectares of land, and the threats were intended to force them to abandon their properties. He described a pattern involving murders, intimidation, and land seizures aimed at allowing criminal groups to gain territorial control.
The use of drones by criminal organizations for surveillance and attacks has been documented in various regions of Mexico, particularly in states where criminal groups are fighting for control.
Guerrero is one of the states most affected by violence linked to organized crime. In regions such as the High Mountain area, Indigenous communities have reported years of conflicts, extortion, and forced displacement resulting from disputes over territorial control.
The future of these families remains uncertain. While some are seeking to remain in Mexico under protection measures, others are considering applying for asylum in the United States.
“We want protection,” summarized one of the displaced individuals.
Source: forbes
