ANA LUZ SOLIS
a.solis@amsanmiguel.com
The Guanajuato border is patrolled by over 1,000 agents from all levels of the nation’s se- curity forces.
The Mexican Military, the Fed- eral Police, agents from the At- torney General’s Office (PGR), officers from the Center for Research and National Secu- rity (CISEN), Federal Forces, the Ministry of Security, Public Security Forces, State Highway Patrol, municipal police officers, police vehicles and trucks per- manently stand guard over the roads and highways that connect the state of Guanajuato to other regions. The operation is known as “Operativo Blindado.” Operation “Safeguard” is in full effect along the outer limits of Guanajuato, in order to inten- sify efforts, maintain the peace and ensure the public safety of Guanajuato citizens.
The border-patrol roadblocks along Guanajuato’s borders with Jalisco and Michoacán are part of an operation that was imple- mented in response to the clash- es between self-armed groups of local citizens and members of the drug cartels, identified as “Los Caballeros Templarios” and “Nueva Generación.”
A security team, consisting of hundreds of officers from all security agencies, was set up on January 21 and conducts regular inspections to prevent any crim-inals, weapons or drugs from entering the region. As instructed by governor Miguel Márquez Márquez, this operation will remain in effect for the purpose of in- creasing public security and maintaining peace within Guanajuato society. To fortify the Guanajuato Safe- guard operation, the state gov- ernor ordered for the purchase of armored vehicles, lighting systems, GPS devices, signage, traffic lights, citizen-response services as well as mobile com- mand posts, scissor platforms and inspection equipment, to- taling nearly 35 million pesos ($2.6 million). Each municipality received fi- nancing from the state to pur- chase 18 equipped patrol cars, for which over 8.2 million pesos ($609,000) will be invested.
In addition to state and fed- eral agencies, the municipal police forces will be par- ticipating in the operation, including the municipal po- lice of Cuerámaro, Coroneo, Jerécuaro, Tarimoro, Apaseo el Grande, Apaseo el Alto, Acámbaro, Moroleón, Sal- vatierra, Yuriria, Santiago Maravatío, Uriangato, Valle de Santiago, Jaral del Pro- greso, Abasolo, Huanímaro, Irapuato, Pénjamo, Manuel Doblado and San Francisco del Rincón. The security team has set up strategically-placed control sta- tions at 17 locations across the state, 14 of which are along the Michoacán border and the remaining three at the Jalisco border.
