VILLA MADERO, Mexico (AP) — As a drought in Mexico drags on, angry subsistence farmers have begun taking direct action on thirsty avocado orchards and berry fields of commercial farms that are drying up streams in the mountains west of Mexico City.
Rivers and even whole lakes are disappearing in the once green and lush state of Michoacan, as the drought combines with a surge in the use of water for the country’s lucrative export crops, lead by avocados.
In recent days, subsistence farmers and activists from the Michoacan town of Villa Madero organized teams to go into the mountains and rip out illegal water pumps and breach unlicensed irrigation holding ponds.
A potential conflict looms with avocado growers — who are often sponsored by, or pay protection money to, drug cartels.
Last week, dozens of residents, farmworkers and small-scale farmers from Villa Madero hiked up into the hills to tear out irrigation equipment using mountain springs to water avocado orchards carved out of the pine-covered hills.
What Mike Johnson said to President Biden after he was caught eye
Pope will travel to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore in longest trip of papacy
1 dead in small plane crash in northwest Indiana, police say
US, Japan and South Korea hold drills in disputed sea as Biden hosts leaders of Japan, Philippines
Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko will miss Game 2 against Predators
US — Chinese military planners gear up for new kind of warfare
How immigrant workers helped stave off a US recession
Faced with possibly paying for news, Google removes links to California news sites for some users
China to send three astronauts to Tiangong space station, part of its ambitious program
Roberto Cavalli, Italian fashion designer, dies at 83