Representatives from human rights organizations and academics have issued an urgent appeal to state and municipal authorities regarding the ongoing armed conflicts in the communities of Apatzingán, Michoacán. These confrontations have resulted in the forced displacement of an undetermined number of families, particularly in the areas of El Guayabo and El Alcalde, with the potential for the violence to spread to El Morado, El Manzo, and El Mirador.
In a document addressed to Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, Secretary of Migration Antonio Soto Sánchez, Apatzingán Mayor Fanny Lissette Arreola Pichardo, and State Public Security Secretary Juan Carlos Oceguera Cortés, the signatories outlined recent events and requested the activation of humanitarian response protocols in accordance with state and municipal regulations.
According to the report, dated July 17, sporadic clashes have been occurring since March, particularly in El Guayabo and neighboring communities, with reports of explosive usage leading to casualties and property damage. The displacements have progressively intensified in recent weeks.
On July 15, social media circulated images of a confrontation in El Guayabo, and early on July 16, more prolonged clashes were reported in the same area. At 7:30 AM that day, human rights defenders received a video showing the exchange of gunfire, confirming that the fighting continued into the morning hours.
Later that day, the news portal Contramuro published a report gathering testimonies about the displacement of between 10 and 15 families, with the possibility that the entire community—approximately 70 homes—might need to evacuate due to fears of further attacks.
Concerns were also raised about the imminent threat to nearby communities such as El Manzo (population 334), El Mirador (351), and El Morado (262), where hostilities could spread. While the signatories of the letter are in the process of verifying this information, they noted their limited capacity and lack of means for direct inspection of the situation on the ground.
The document was signed by lawyer Cynthia Marcela García de la Torre from El Buen Samaritano AC, academic Diana Pamela Zambrano Vázquez from the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, and historian Julio César Franco Gutiérrez from the Observatorio de Seguridad Humana de Apatzingán, and is supported by the legal framework of the Inter-institutional Committee and the Emergency Response Regulation for Internal Displacement in the municipality.