9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Much of the food we eat[br]goes through a pretty incredible journey

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to get to us.

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This is especially true of avocados.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
They don't grow just anywhere.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
They need tons of sunlight[br]and a ton of rain,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
which is why about 3/4 [br]of the world's avocados

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
come from Mexico.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Mostly from the state of Michoacan.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Americans are eating[br]about three times more avocados

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
than they did almost 20 years ago.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Higher demand is good for Michoacan,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
but when a region booms,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
forces often much shadier, [br]aim to get in on the action.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And trust me,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that's part of your food's journey too.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
CHAIN REACTION

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>Avocados are big business in Mexico.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>The state of Michoacan exports[br]the majority of them</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>to the tune of almost [br]3 billion dollars a year.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I'm someone that really enjoys avocados.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The people here live off the avocado.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>Locals call it green gold.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>Over the past 20 years,[br]America's obsession with avocado</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>has driven industry profits and[br]lifted many people here out of poverty.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>Last year, the United States imported</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>a record-breaking [br]2.1 billion pounds of the fruit</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>from Mexico.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
"The green gold."

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
This was a very poor and f**ked up region,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
but people have improved[br]their economic situation.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>And these days, money as green gold[br]comes at a price.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>Criminal organizations,[br]ike Cartel de Jalisco en [ ]</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>have set their sights on the fruit</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>as a way to diversify[br]their illicit portfolios</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>by extorting growers and stealing land.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We're heading up to meet up [br]with a group of people

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
who have organized to defend this land, [br]defend this area,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
from cartels and criminal groups.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We're coming up to their checkpoint.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
You can see a guy standing out here[br]with an M4 rifle, a sniper up there--

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
you're going to see [br]people like this all over town

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
trying to protect this community.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Everyone gather.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Look right now, I'll leave with the officers.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We'll do a crime prevention patrol.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We'll check that our boundaries are good.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>Hector "Tata" Saavedra is [br]the commander of a local defense group</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>that rose up against[br]the KnightsTemplar Cartel</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>When it tried to take over large swaths[br]of Michoacan avocado orchards in 2013.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
At the beginning, we defended ourselves[br]with machetes, sticks, rocks...

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We blocked every way to access our town.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
No one gets out, no one gets in.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
This was our best defense.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Things are a bit different today.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Close the convoy at about 50 meters[br]for each vehicle, please.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>Copiado [inaudible]</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We're in the heart of[br]the avocado production zone.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Organized crime is all around us.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
There have been situations[br]where we've been ambushed.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
But it's our job to keep doing this.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>Last year, Tata and his men[br]found themselves in a firefight</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>with members of the Cartel de Jalisco.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>The shootout lasted close to an hour.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>The cartel's gunmen eventually retreated,</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>but not before Tata and his men[br]captured one of their wounded.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
(speaking Spanish)

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>When Tata and his team head out on patrol</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It's people like for Healy[br]Augustine Serano, local farmer.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Turn Tower guard, who mans the[br]checkpoints but I'm awake connect.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Not often. Do we rabbit?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So romantic on the Wind[br]of Gringo's are eternal.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
What kind of attention did the avocado[br]industry bring to this community?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It almost from well below

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the government. Regalo para[br]la parte de la production.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We do. He saw the sorrow.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So these avocados ready to cut?[br]There's a star listo, Para cortar.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Ha of land produces roughly[br]20 tons of avocados,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and at 40 pesos of Papua Farm, like,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
for Helios can rake in some[br]23,000 dollars per Harvest.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
There's a lot of people in[br]the US that love these things,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
but I don't think they realize[br]what all of Michoacan goes through

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to not only Harvest[br]them but to keep you in

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the community safe from the[br]cartels and criminal groups.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
What's your message to them? To[br]remember when they eat an avocado?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Like what got the Cuesta? Mucho trabajo?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
No, mas

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
trabajo. She know Questa

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
organization Cuesta de Sangre in[br]algunos De vidas en algunos casos.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
North American West robotic.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Consume an avocado.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
When's the last time you[br]actually got to enjoy one,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
all you want on my animal communicator?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So definitely be the freshest piece[br]of avocado I've ever eaten. Cheers.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It's good.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It's very good. Yeah.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Yeah, what up? Don't know if I should do[br]this whole thing though, I'm allergic.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
For you personally. What are you[br]protecting me? And I open another meant to

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
protect me familiar.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Are you afraid that things will[br]go back to the way they were

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
when they occur Jaeger status[br]koshwal esperamos, que, no, Pare.