--- description: About seven years after former President Felipe Calderon dispatched soldiers into his home state of Michoacán, launching a crackdown on organized crime and ruthless drug... title: Cartels and Vigilantes Clash in Mexico: Photographs by Jerome Sessini image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1669db1e8286ee34/6986a4f813c79f047d19407e/cartels-vigilantes-clash-mexico-sessini-01.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [LightBox](/tag/time-section-lightbox/) ## LightBox Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Cartels and Vigilantes Clash in Mexico: Photographs by Jerome Sessini  by [Andrew Katz](/author/andrew-katz/)  ## Andrew Katz Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 15, 2014 6:02 PM CUT  Jan. 11, 2014\. A gunman working for the Knights Templar cartel shot dead by vigilantes in the town of Antœnez, Michoac‡n. Jan. 11, 2014\. A gunman working for the Knights Templar cartel shot dead by vigilantes in the town of Antœnez, Michoac‡n.Jerome Sessini—Magnum  by [Andrew Katz](/author/andrew-katz/)  ## Andrew Katz Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 15, 2014 6:02 PM CUT About seven years after former President Felipe Calderon dispatched soldiers into his home state of Michoacán, launching a crackdown on organized crime and ruthless drug cartels now estimated to have killed 80,000 and widely viewed as unsuccessful, the region remains gripped by terror. The recent flare-up [began](http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/a1eb6d52-7e13-11e3-b409-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2qVCeV0yw "undefined") last year when the Knights Templar, a cartel thought to rake in about $75 million a year, took over a key port to ferry drugs and claim taxes on state exports of lime, avocado and iron ore to feed its growth. The government sent in troops to aid local authorities, but this week President Enrique Peña Nieto pushed in more security forces to restore order. Those troops are now clashing with _fuerzas_ _autodefensas_, the groups of armed vigilantes that sprung up last year to regain control of their territory. The army is attempting to disarm them, the cartel and any locals—including police officers—thought to have close ties with crime networks or militias. The violence is raising significant questions about whether Peña Nieto, who’s trying to secure foreign energy investments, can end what his predecessor began. French photojournalist Jerome Sessini, of the Magnum photo agency, spent the past month documenting the strife. Over the past week, he shadowed vigilantes from Paracuaro to Antúnez to Nueva Italia as they barreled into municipalities, detained anyone associated with the cartels and secured the towns. Taking back Paracuaro took 40 minutes. Moving toward Antúnez, a pickup truck in their caravan fell behind and was seized by three _Templarios_. Later, several vigilantes not only recovered the vehicle, but detained the teenagers responsible (slide #4). Once they arrived to Antúnez, winning control was fairly quick. But in Nueva Italia, it took about three hours. Sessini was with a group of 15 fighters, armed with Kalashnikovs, on the front line right outside the city. He stayed close once they began moving from street to street in search of cartel members. At least two were shot and killed. Sessini sees this work as a continuation of “[The Wrong Side](http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3&VF=MAGO31%5F10%5FVForm&ERID=2K1HRGTPI3G "undefined"),” his book published in March 2013 and based on two years of witnessing Mexico’s most violent cities slip into wasteland. His drive and commitment to return and document the chaos is born from fascination and curiosity: “If they give back the weapons, the Templar will come back and they will kill everybody—any family of the _autodefensas_, for sure,” he says. “It’s a very complicated situation and I’m really curious to know what games the government is playing.” Whether made at a checkpoint (#7) or during a gunfight (#10) or en route to a contested municipality (#17), Sessini’s frames provide a portrait of a thorny, entrenched conflict that’s roiled Mexico for years. His work, both intimate and removed, ensures we can’t fully look away. --- **_Jerome Sessini_** _is a French photojournalist represented by Magnum._ **_Andrew Katz_** _is a reporter with TIME covering international affairs. Follow him on Twitter_ [_@katz_](http://www.twitter.com/katz "undefined")_._ ---  Jan. 11, 2014\. A gunman working for the Knights Templar cartel shot dead by vigilantes in the town of Antœnez, Michoac‡n. Jerome Sessini—Magnum  Jan. 4, 2014\. A vigilante gunman in Paracuaro, Michoac‡n. Jerome Sessini—Magnum  Dec. 29, 2013\. Caught between fear and surprise, the people of Poturo, Michoac‡n, gather in the main square to listen to the speech of JosŽ Manuel Mireles Valverde, who had just seized their village with 150 armed men. Jerome Sessini—Magnum  Jan. 12, 2014\. Vigilantes engage in a three-hour gunfight with the Knights Templar cartel in downtown Nueva Italia, Michoac‡n. Jerome Sessini—Magnum  Jan. 6, 2014\. Vigilantes set up barricades and a checkpoint to search cars at the main entrance to the town of Paracuaro, Michoac‡n. Jerome Sessini—Magnum  Jan. 5, 2014\. A Knights Templar gunman shot dead by vigilantes during a 40-minute shootout at the entrance of Paracuaro, Michoac‡n. Jerome Sessini—Magnum  Jan. 12, 2014\. A three-hour gunfight between vigilantes and the Knights Templar cartel continues in downtown Nueva Italia, Michoac‡n. Jerome Sessini—Magnum  Jan. 12, 2014\. A three-hour gunfight between vigilantes and the Knights Templar cartel continues in downtown Nueva Italia, Michoac‡n. Jerome Sessini—Magnum  Jan. 5, 2014\. Vigilantes stand at the site where JosŽ Manuel Mireles Valverde's plane crashed earlier in the week in Zicuir‡n, Michoac‡n. Jerome Sessini—Magnum  Jan. 12, 2014\. Vigilantes enter a house where a sniper for the Knights Templar cartel had been shooting from during a three-hour gunfight in downtown Nueva Italia, Michoac‡n. Jerome Sessini—Magnum  Jan. 12, 2014\. A "Puntero," or watchman, working for the Knights Templar cartel is detained by vigilantes in Nueva Italia, Michoac‡n. Jerome Sessini—Magnum  Jan. 12, 2014\. A three-hour gunfight between vigilantes and the Knights Templar cartel continues in downtown Nueva Italia, Michoac‡n, Mexico. Jerome Sessini—Magnum  Jan. 12, 2014\. Municipal policemen are detained in cells by vigilantes who have just seized town hall in Nueva Italia, Michoac‡n. Jerome Sessini—Magnum  Jan. 5, 2014\. Vigilantes advance upon the town of Paracuaro, Michoac‡n. Jerome Sessini—Magnum  Jan. 5, 2014\. Downtown Paracuaro, Michoac‡n, appears deserted after vigilantes arrive. Jerome Sessini—Magnum  Jan. 13, 2014\. A vigilante inside the house of Enrique Plancarte Sol’s in Nueva Italia, Michoac‡n. Sol’s is one of the most wanted Knights Templar leaders. 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