PUNCHING BACK TWICE AS HARD IN MEXICO:

Vigilantes in a Mexican village have seized the mother of a local gang leader and proposed swapping her for a kidnap victim taken on Monday.

After seizing alleged collaborators of the gang, including the mother of the leader “El Tequilero”, the locals have recorded video messages for the gang.

“In return for my husband’s life, I will deliver your mother,” says the kidnap victim’s wife in one video, which has been broadcast on local TV.

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This BBC report uses “vigilantes” to describe villagers and townspeople who take up arms to defend themselves and communities against drug gangs. “Vigilantes” is the term preferred by the Mexican government. Many villagers prefer other descriptions like local defense force, community defense force or volunteer community militia.