Avocado Industry Impact in San Ángel Zurumucapio, Mexico

San Ángel Zurumucapio: A quiet town in Mexico once known for its peacefulness and struggle with poverty. Today, the booming avocado industry brings wealth but also terror.

Family Impact

Óscar García, a young local, drives through a checkpoint guarded by paramilitaries, greeted by familiar faces. His grandfather Francisco recounts the peaceful past, regretting the changes brought by avocados.

Francisco once worked in the US to buy a home for his children. His son Pancho followed the path of migration, returning to plant avocados in Mexico.

Avocado Boom and Crime

With the end of the US avocado import ban in 1997, the industry flourished. Michoacán became a global hub, elevating many from poverty.

Yet, this brought deforestation, altered climate, and attracted criminals from drug trafficking into avocado farming. Farmers face threats, extortion, and violence.

Community Response

“Strength in Unity”

In 2021, residents adopted self-governance. They banned political parties and armed themselves against crime. Óscar’s father Pancho initially opposed, fearing increased conflict. Still, he participated in militia shifts.

Despite militarization, Michoacán remains unsafe. Residents brave nearby lawless cities for essentials, where danger lurks constantly.

Mysterious Disappearance

In December 2024, Pancho went missing. His abandoned truck was found, but he and his assistant vanished. Suspected foul play but scant evidence left the investigation cold.

The militia mobilized, demanding answers from authorities. However, family efforts to track leads were futile, with suspicions of a botched kidnapping.

Legacy of Violence

Francisco urged the family to halt the search, fearing further loss. He worried for Óscar, now managing the farm full-time. The burden of the family’s tragic history weighs heavily on him.

Avocados gave Francisco’s family prosperity but, tragically, also left profound scars, with a grandson growing up fatherless.