Leader of Crime-Fighting Militia in Mexico Seeks Americans' Support Olivia P. Tallet - Houston Chronicle
go to original July 9, 2016

Nestora Salgado waves a rifle as she leaves a Mexico City prison on March 18, after courts threw out charges against her. (Marco Ugarte/AP)

They call Nestora Salgado "La Comandanta" — "the commander." In 2012, in hometown in southern Mexico, she began leading a "community police" militia, fighting the area's crime, cartels and corruption.

Now Salgado is touring the U.S. And on Monday, July 11, she visits Houston to ask Americans for support in her fight against "a continuous persecution and fabrications of charges against community leaders who are fighting for their rights."

It's a topic she knows well. In August 2013, Salgado was detained and imprisoned by the government for more than two years on charges that she says were trumped up. Following an international outcry, the Guerrero state government dropped some charges and a judge dismissed others. In March, Salgado was released from maximum-security prison.

Her U.S. tour is something of a homecoming: Salgado, a nationalized U.S. citizen, spent much of her adult life in Seattle, Washington.

Read an excerpt of her interview with the Houston Chronicle here

Related: Self-Defense Leader, Jose Mireles, Still in Jail; Judges "Fear Officials" - Defense Lawyer (Mexico Voices)

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!