I posted a long while back a bit about the Mexican Self-Defense Groups (SDG) formed to fight the cartels. The Government was unable to keep the Bad Guys in check so the locals armed themselves and formed groups to go after the Knights Templar cartel. They were successful but the government was not happy about it and specially with the charismatic leader, Dr. José Manuel Mireles.

The Mexican Federals announced a sort of reprieve for the SDG so they could register their members and their guns with government with the excuse of maintaining legality. People did so and the info was used (you guessed it!) to arrest SDG members and confiscate their weapons. The Cartels went back to regular business and people again got killed wholesale.

Dr. José Manuel Mireles was just released on bond after three years in jail waiting to be tried for “carrying firearms for the exclusive use of the armed forces” which in Mexico means anything that is not .380, .38 special or .22LR.

And this is saddening and maddening at the same time:

In a telephone interview with Ciro Gómez Leyva, Mireles said that when he entered prison, he did not have the diseases he has today.  “I had two heart attacks, I still have diabetes and spinal problems.  I gained that here, from inside; I didn’t have that outside,” said the doctor.

I had forgotten that it is a common tactic south of the border to delay or deny and even to expedite any health issue you have as a way to break you down without being obvious they are abusing you. The Gov can always claim “Pre-existing condition” for any demise within the wall of a prison. And what is the autopsy gonna say? Cause of death was whatever was ailing them before they were arrested.  He was also  held incommunicado with no access to mail or visitors for the first 2 years.

Mexico is the closest example we have of a powerful (they think) government, total gun control, unchecked crime and a civilian population caught in the middle.  Any government that forces you to be unarmed in the face of such an enemy is an accomplice to whatever happens to you.