A Bold Break from the State
In 2011, a small town in the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico, made a decision that would reshape its future. Faced with violence, corruption, and environmental devastation, the people of Cherán expelled politicians, police, and criminal groups. What followed was the establishment of a self-governing indigenous community that operates without political parties or traditional municipal authorities.
From Uprising to Self-Rule
On April 15, 2011, residents—many of them women—blocked the road leading to nearby oak forests to confront armed illegal loggers associated with the La Familia Michoacana cartel. Using rocks and fireworks, they attacked a busload of loggers and seized control of their town. The population expelled the municipal government and local police, set up roadblocks, and began community patrols of both urban areas and surrounding forests. These events marked the beginning of Cherán’s transition away from state governance.
A Different Model of Power
The Mexican Constitution allows indigenous communities to govern themselves, and after a series of legal battles, Cherán was officially recognized as a self-governing indigenous community. Its system is based on direct democracy. The community is divided into four neighborhoods, each organized around communal fires known as fogatas. Decisions are made through consensus in neighborhood assemblies and then carried to the town-wide general assembly, which holds ultimate authority.
A 12-person council called the K’eri Jánaskakua is elected by community consensus rather than political campaigns. Political parties and campaigning are prohibited. Additional councils represent women, youth, and communal territory. All positions are subject to collective oversight. Every decision, from infrastructure projects to job allocation, is made publicly through these assemblies.
Results on the Ground
This governing structure oversees the town’s 27,000 hectares of communal land and its public services. Community patrols guard the forest and urban areas. In 2017, Cherán recorded the lowest homicide rate in Michoacán, according to reports cited by The Guardian. The town has since launched collective economic projects, including a sawmill, greenhouse, and concrete factory. Reforestation efforts have replanted thousands of hectares lost to illegal logging before 2011.
Today, Cherán continues to function outside the control of political parties and traditional municipal structures. Its model remains unique within Mexico, standing as one of the few legally recognized indigenous self-governments operating at a municipal scale.
In 2011, a mountain town in Michoacán did something rare.
Cherán expelled police and politicians, blocked roads to its forest, and declared self rule.
What began with rocks and fireworks against illegal loggers reshaped how the town is governed…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/bgNvIdbFBx
— Fascinating True Stories (@FascinatingTrue) October 6, 2025