To combat a recent wave of kidnappings in rural Ayahualtempa, Guerrero state, a volunteer police force is recruiting children as young as 12 years old. According to CNN, the case highlights the extent of the organized crime problem in some parts of the country.
“Children learn to handle weapons to protect themselves” said a recruited teenager, explaining to the Milenio TV channel that he had to learn to shoot because there were no laws there.
Guerrero is one of Mexico's poorest states and has seen a recent spike in violence. Human rights groups said 30 people died in a drone attack allegedly carried out by the La Familia Michoacana drug cartel in early January.
Last Friday (19), four members of a family from Ayahualtempa disappeared, raising suspicions of kidnapping. The Guerrero state prosecutor's office confirmed the incident.
According to Antonio Toribio, a local official, the minors are now part of the volunteer police force and will be responsible for protecting the village of around 700 residents while the adults search for the missing.
There have already been cases of minors being armed to fight crime in Guerrero. Local authorities are struggling to deal with the powerful drug trafficking gangs operating in the region.
The reports brought to light the extreme conditions and challenges rural communities in Mexico face in the fight against organized crime. The case has raised concerns about the longterm impact of this strategy and the risks these children face.