In a rural Mexican community grappling with a surge in kidnappings attributed to organized crime, a volunteer police force claims to have enlisted schoolchildren as young as 12 to address the overwhelming challenge. Clad in face coverings and armed with rifles and sticks, both boys and girls recently marched through a local sports field before joining patrols in Ayahualtempa, a mountain village situated in the impoverished state of Guerrero. Faced with the growing lawlessness, a recruited teenager lamented, "We can't study because of lawlessness," revealing how basic firearm skills were acquired after minimal training sessions.

Guerrero has witnessed a recent upswing in violence, highlighted by a drone attack in early January, allegedly orchestrated by the La Familia Michoacana drug cartel, resulting in the death of approximately 30 individuals according to human rights groups. The precarious situation in Ayahualtempa is exemplified by the disappearance of four members of a local family, kidnapped on Friday, as reported by the Guerrero state prosecutor's office.

In response, minors have been integrated into the volunteer police force to fortify the village of approximately 700 residents. While adults intensify efforts to locate the missing individuals, the recruited youth are determined to safeguard the community. Antonio Toribio, a local official, affirmed, "We're not going to allow them to kidnap us any more, or for people to keep disappearing." This scenario echoes past instances in Guerrero, where authorities have grappled with the daunting challenge of countering influential drug trafficking syndicates.