> Thirteen years ago, the town’s residents prevented corrupt officials and a local cartel from illegally cutting down native forests to make way for the crop.

> Thirteen years ago, the town’s residents prevented corrupt officials and a local cartel from illegally cutting down native forests to make way for the crop. This is a key take. Organized crime doesn't rule regions outside the control of the state, they're managed by a coalition of local corrupt politicians and businessmen that use them to do their dirty work. The town residents were wise to fight not only the illegal criminals, but their legal supporters. People are getting tired of deeply corrupted govermments blaming everything bad on the runaway cartels, while they're the real intellectual authors.