Hipolito Mora's truck received more than a thousand shots

A brutal attack shook the inhabitants of La Ruana, Michoacan, the target was the former leader of the self-defense groups, Hipolito Mora, who had been the target of numerous attacks, until the fatal one. For at least 30 minutes he was in a fire from three fronts, the armored truck in which he was traveling received more than a thousand shots, according to the president of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

According to the newspaper Milenio, the armed men fired at him from a house under construction, at the same time that another group of gunmen fired their weapons from a pickup truck. Neighbors of the area indicated that another armed group also opened fire on the lemon businessman from the roof of some houses.

After the hail of bullets, the hit men set the truck on fire, leaving a black stain on the spot as a mark of the tragedy. Meters further on was the blood of one of his bodyguards, who was also murdered along with the former leader of the self-defense groups and two more policemen, who were assigned to Mora's security.

The attack was brutal, one of the bodyguards was seen burning in flames next to the truck in which they were traveling. The shell casings were still lying on the street until Friday afternoon, as mute witnesses and evidence of what happened and the lives that were taken. They also left various parts of the area without light, as the bullets damaged a transformer.

Hipolito Mora was returning from his plot and heading home when he was attacked by a group of people who, after blocking his path with two trucks, fired high-powered firearms such as Barrett rifles, capable of piercing walls and armor . After the attack, those responsible fled.

Posthumous letter

President Lopez Obrador said that the assassination of Hipolito Mora was caused by the remnants of the war against drugs waged by former president Felipe Calderon, although it all began more than a decade ago, the attacks against the man from the countryside never stopped . He knew he would die fighting.

In a posthumous letter that was unsealed a day after the murder, he asked that his death not be in vain, “as my friends and faithful followers, do what you have to do to that the fight that I started continues to be for a just cause for the citizens. Here and in the other world I am and will continue to be Hipolito Mora”, it can be read.

“I never accepted bribes or intimidation, I fought without receiving anything in return other than the affection of the people, those who did not want me were the bad boys, I will be with my son Manolo and I will tell death: where why were you running away from me so much? He also asked the people of Michoacan to be brave and break the yoke of organized crime.

Will they take up arms again?

The death of Hipolito Mora reminds us that drug trafficking has permeated all levels of Mexico, despite efforts to combat it, organized crime continues to dominate and decide who lives and who does not. Given this, his brother Guadalupe spoke out.

He said that now he fears for his path and is careful during his transfers, but fear is felt not only by those close to the victim, but also by people in the community, for this reason the funeral looked empty, because they feared they would suffer an attack during the wake, as revealed to the journalist Azucena Uresti.

Finally, he warned that he has received a lot of support from people in the community, since “they are tired” and they assure that they will take up the movement against crime again”.