Topic: Michoacan

The avocado trade in Michoacán, Mexico, has become increasingly dominated by criminal cartels, leading to the term "blood guacamole." These organizations extort growers and engage in violent clashes over the multi-billion dollar industry, which accounts for a significant portion of the global supply. The environmental toll includes massive deforestation of native pine forests and extreme water depletion, as avocado cultivation requires twelve times more water than tomato farming.

Derek Brose describes his move from Houston, Texas, to Morelia, Mexico, in March 2020 as a response to COVID-19 travel restrictions. He explains that Mexico’s lack of vaccine and testing requirements made it a hub for the Freedom Cell movement. Brose details his plans for The Conscious Agora, a sustainable community based on permaculture principles that he has been developing since writing his 2017 book, Manifesto of the Free Humans.