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The Secretariat of National Defense (Defensa) reported this Thursday the deployment of 1,557 personnel to reinforce security in the avocado-producing areas of Michoacán, following the suspension of exports to the United States and while both countries maintain a dialogue table to resume them.
The agency detailed in a post on its official X account that the military ranks include 657 National Guard members and 900 from the Mexican Army, who began a land-based deployment from different parts of the country bound for Michoacán.
Upon arrival, the text explained, "the personnel will join the tasks carried out by the 21st and 43rd Military Zones, in coordination with authorities of the three levels of government in that entity."
The above, it noted, is for the purpose of "reinforcing security in avocado production zones, packing centers, communication routes, and providing accompaniment and surveillance at inspection points of the National Service for Agro-Alimentary Public Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA)."
The tasks of the armed forces will also seek to inhibit the crime of extortion against avocado producers, a crime in which drug cartels such as Los Zetas, La Familia Michoacana, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), among others, are involved.
It also specified that among the operational activities that the members of the National Guard and the Mexican Army will perform are patrols, ground reconnaissance, and deterrent measures.
These tasks will be carried out in urban areas of the municipalities of Apatzingán, Aguililla, Buenavista, Cotija, Los Reyes, Peribán, Tingüindín, Tocumbo, and Zamora.
The message issued by National Defense comes after the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, expressed her interest in resuming avocado exports "as soon as possible," which were suspended after the withdrawal of American inspectors due to a security alert.
The president pointed out during her morning press conference that after meeting with Mexican avocado growers, she began a work plan to "guarantee even more security" in Michoacán, and that she will propose to the United States the possibility that, "as a last resort," the American inspectors could be temporarily replaced by Mexican personnel.
The State Department maintains Michoacán at its Level 4 travel advisory, "do not travel," due to terrorism and crime, and restricts the movement of U.S. government employees in that state.
According to data from Sader, Mexico exports more than a million tons of avocados per year, and in the first four months of 2026 alone, 501,824 tons of the fruit had already been exported.
[Publicidad]