Mexican villagers on cartel frontline clash with soldiers

MEXICO CITY — Inhabitants of a town on the front line of a turf war between rival drug cartels in Mexico say soldiers fired on them during a clash Saturday.

The protesters provided video of showing demonstrators and soldiers engaged in shoving, shouting and rock throwing on both sides in the town of Loma Blanca, in western Michoacan state.

Toward the end of the video, detonations can be heard, but those appear to have been tear gas cannisters.

But protest organizer José Francisco Helizondo said that later, several protesters were wounded by live fire. A video of one of the injured men appears to show shrapnel or shotgun pellets in his leg.

Mexico’s Defense Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mexican soldiers are in a difficult position in Michoacan; the government strategy has been to repel attempts by the Jalisco cartel to gain territory in Michoacan, but do little or nothing about the Michoacan cartel, the Viagras, that controls much of the state.

Soldiers have apparently been ordered to keep rival cartels apart, but that angers townspeople in Jalisco-dominated towns like Loma Blanca, because soldiers don’t prevent the Viagras from blocking roads or charging extortion fees on passing vehicles.

The area’s produce — limes and cattle heading out, or supplies heading in — have been forced to pay a war tax to the Viagras.

The protesters, who have faced off with soldiers before, are demanding the army open the roads and act with equal force against both cartels.