USDA Inspectors Detained in Michoacan: Avocado Imports from Mexico Suspended Amidst Security Concerns and Criminal Threats

Michoacan, Michoacan, Mexico Mexico
Avocado growers in Michoacan often face threats from drug gangs demanding protection money or facing kidnapping or death threats.
Avocado imports from Michoacan, Mexico were suspended due to security concerns and criminal threats.
Criminal groups have sought to infiltrate the avocado industry in Michoacan, leading to threats, abductions, killings, and widespread deforestation.
Michoacan is responsible for 73% of avocado production in Mexico and supplies about 90% of all U.S. avocado imports.
There have been reports of organized crime bringing avocados grown in other states not approved for export and trying to get them through U.S. inspections.
The U.S. temporarily banned avocados from Mexico in 2022 due to a threatening message received by a USDA inspector.
USDA inspectors were detained in Michoacan, Mexico on June 15, 2024.
USDA Inspectors Detained in Michoacan: Avocado Imports from Mexico Suspended Amidst Security Concerns and Criminal Threats

June 22, 2024

U.S. avocado inspections in the Mexican state of Michoacan were suspended due to security concerns after two USDA inspectors were assaulted and detained while surveying avocado orchards and packing plants on June 15, 2024 (CBS News, AP).

Michoacan is responsible for 73% of avocado production in Mexico and supplies about 90% of all U.S. avocado imports (AP). However, criminal groups have sought to infiltrate the avocado industry in Michoacan, leading to threats, abductions, killings, and widespread deforestation (NYT).

In 2022, the U.S. temporarily banned avocados from Mexico after a threatening message was received by a USDA inspector in Michoacan (NYT).

The U.S. government announced on June 21, 2024, that inspections of avocados and mangoes in Michoacan would gradually resume (CBS News, AP). Ambassador Ken Salazar stated that inspectors will return to the packing plants following recent aggression against them but more work needs to be done to ensure their safety before reaching full operations.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors are essential as they work in Mexico to ensure exported avocados don't carry diseases that could hurt U.S. crops (AP).

Avocado growers in Michoacan often face threats from drug gangs demanding protection money or facing kidnapping or death threats (AP, NYT). In February 2022, the U.S. government suspended inspections of Mexican avocados until further notice due to a threatening message received by a U.S. plant safety inspector in Michoacan (AP).

Michoacan Gov. Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla downplayed the situation, suggesting the inspectors were never at risk and that state forces were providing security for the state's avocado producers and packers (AP). However, many avocado growers in Michoacan report threats from drug gangs for protection money or kidnapping/death (AP).

There have also been reports of organized crime bringing avocados grown in other states not approved for export and trying to get them through U.S. inspections (AP).


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Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • It's unclear if any progress has been made in ensuring the safety of USDA inspectors in Michoacan.
  • The exact nature of the threats against USDA inspectors is not specified in the article.

Sources

99%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

U.S. to resume avocado inspections in Mexican state that were halted by violence

CBS News Site: https://www.cbsnews.com/articles/about-us/ Saturday, 22 June 2024 12:29
  • Unique Points
    • U.S. government inspections of avocados and mangoes in the Mexican state of Michoacan will gradually resume, announced U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar on June 21, 2024.
    • U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors were assaulted and temporarily held by assailants in Michoacan, leading to the suspension of inspections in Mexico’s biggest avocado-producing state.
    • Avocado growers in Michoacan often face threats from drug gangs demanding protection money or facing kidnapping or death threats.
    • In February 2022, the U.S. government had previously suspended inspections of Mexican avocados until further notice due to a threatening message received by a U.S. plant safety inspector in Michoacan.
  • Accuracy
    • ][Two USDA inspectors were assaulted and detained while surveying avocado orchards and packing plants in Michoacán.][/ Two USDA employees were assaulted and temporarily held by assailants in Michoacán.]
    • [The U.S. halted inspections of avocados and mangos imported from Mexico until the security situation is reviewed.]
    • [Michoacán is responsible for 73% of avocado production in Mexico and supplies about 90% of all U.S. avocado imports.]
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

U.S.D.A. Avocado Inspectors Will Start Returning to Mexican Packing Plants

The Name Of The NZ Prefix. I PWA NZI.P.Was Dropped. Emiliano Rodríguez Saturday, 22 June 2024 04:59
  • Unique Points
    • U.S. avocado inspections in Michoacán, Mexico were suspended due to security concerns.
    • Two USDA inspectors were assaulted and detained while surveying avocado orchards and packing plants in Michoacán.
    • Michoacán is responsible for 73% of avocado production in Mexico and supplies about 90% of all U.S. avocado imports.
    • Criminal groups have sought to infiltrate the avocado industry in Michoacán, leading to threats, abductions, killings, and widespread deforestation.
    • In 2022, the U.S. temporarily banned avocados from Mexico after a threatening message was received by a USDA inspector in Michoacán.
  • Accuracy
    • ]Two USDA inspectors were assaulted and detained while surveying avocado orchards and packing plants in Michoacán.[
    • The U.S. halted inspections of avocados and mangos imported from Mexico until the security situation is reviewed.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The article contains some instances of appeals to authority and inflammatory rhetoric, but no formal or blatant logical fallacies were found. The author reports on the U.S. ambassador's statements regarding security concerns and the resumption of inspections in Michoacán, Mexico, as well as President López Obrador's response.
    • ][The U.S.] has sometimes been quick to take 'unilateral measures,' like the recent suspension.[/
    • But he complained that the United States has sometimes been quick to take 'unilateral measures,' like the recent suspension.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

U.S. to resume avocados and mangoes inspection from Mexican state

NBC News Digital Saturday, 22 June 2024 12:30
  • Unique Points
    • Two USDA employees were assaulted and temporarily held by assailants in Michoacan last weekend.
    • Michoacan is the biggest avocado-producing state in Mexico.
    • Organized crime tries to bring avocados grown in other states not approved for export through U.S. inspections.
  • Accuracy
    • The U.S. halted inspections of avocados and mangos imported from Michoacan due to security concerns.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

99%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Assault on US avocado inspectors in Mexican state led to suspension of inspections

The Associated Press News Tuesday, 18 June 2024 17:49
  • Unique Points
    • Two employees of the US Agriculture Department were assaulted and temporarily held by assailants in Michoacan, Mexico.
    • The U.S. government suspended inspections of avocado and mango shipments from Michoacan due to security concerns.
    • Many avocado growers in Michoacan report threats from drug gangs for protection money or kidnapping/death.
  • Accuracy
    • Michoacan is Mexico’s biggest exporter of avocados.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication