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.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
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.

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Look right now, I'll leave with the officers.

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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.

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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.

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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
<i>it's people like Virgilio Agustin Serrano,[br]a local-farmer-turned-tower-guard,</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>who manages the checkpoints.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I'm going to f**king devour a rabbit.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Look at this damn rabbit.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Spicy?

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

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
It's not too spicy?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
How often do you eat rabbit?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Only when gringos come to visit.[br](laughter)

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
Our town used to be ignored.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
But since the avocado production started,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
the town has become known

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and more developed.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So these avocados are ready to cut?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
This will be ready to cut

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
at the beginning of December.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>Hector's land produces [br]roughly 20 tons of avocados,</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>and at 40 pesos a pop,</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>a farm like Virgilio's can rake in [br]some 23,000 dollars per harvest.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
There's a lot of people in the US[br]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 them,

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

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

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Producing avocados is very hard.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I'm not talking about hard work,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
but it takes a lot of organization.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
In some case, it costs blood or lives.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Don't stop eating avocados.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
You can rest assured[br]it's a quality product

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and that it's produced [br]by Mexicans from Michoacan

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and indigenous hands.

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

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I ate one this morning.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I constantly eat avocados.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I eat the ones I produce.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I eat them every day.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So, definitely the freshest [br]piece of avocado I have ever eaten.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Cheers.

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

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Yes, good.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I don't know if I should eat[br]this whole thing now.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I'm allergic. (laughter)

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
For you, personally, [br]what are you protecting?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I'm personally protecting my family.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
This is how we normally practice.

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

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Things may go back as they were.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
But let's hope not.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Fear has always been with us.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
This is the reason we got organized.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We wouldn't have done it[br]if we were not afraid.