Mexican government reinforces security in avocado-producing areas in Michoacan with National Guard deployment

Amid the stoppage of operations by US Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors in the area, the Mexican Government is deploying 1,557 personnel to reinforce security in the state of Michoacán. The announcement was made yesterday by President Claudia Scheinbaum during her daily address to the nation, when she explained her administration was working on a plan to further secure areas where National Guard presence was deemed insufficient. 

Through a post on its official X account, Mexico's Secretariat of National Defense explained that the deployment began at 7:00 AM on August 6, involving 657 personnel from the National Guard and 900 from the Mexican Army. Operations are spearheaded by the 21st and 43rd Military Zones, in coordination with authorities from all three levels of government, the agency explained.

Photos by Mexican Secretariat of National Defense

"This is aimed at reinforcing security in avocado-producing areas, packing centers, communication routes, escorting and monitoring inspection points of the National Service for Agri-Food Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA), as well as deterring extortion crimes against avocado producers," read the post. 

Further securing avocado operations in Michoacan 

According to the secretariat, security personnel in the area are tasked with conducting patrols, ground reconnaissance, and deterrent measures in the urban areas of the municipalities of Apatzingán, Aguililla, Buenavista, Cotija, Los Reyes, Peribán, Tingüindín, Tocumbo, and Zamora. 

The Mexican government hopes these security efforts will contribute to the "dismantling of criminal organizations through the capture of their leaders and other generators of violence in the state of Michoacán," which in turn will help normalize avocado export operations in the state. 

The Sheinbaum Administration's response comes after a security alert issued by the US government on August 4 halted USDA operations in the area, effectively suspending the export of Mexican avocados into the United States. According to American authorities, security requirements for the normal functioning of phytosanitary inspections in fields and packing houses in Michoacán were not being met, instantly triggering a level 4 "Do not travel" alert by the local US embassy. 

Image via Shutterstock.

Neither the Mexican government nor the White House has provided a clear timeline for when avocado export operations will resume in the area, but President Scheinbaum said yesterday that she was in direct talks with American authorities to resolve the issue. 

Michoacán is the leading avocado-producing state in Mexico, and one of only two authorized to export its fruit to the United States. Producers in the area provide between 75 percent and 80 percent of the Mexican avocados traveling across the border.

La Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional despliega 1,557 efectivos para reforzar la seguridad en el estado de Michoacán.

En el marco de la Estrategia Nacional de Seguridad Pública y como parte de las medidas permanentes para fortalecer la paz en Michoacán, a partir de las 0700… pic.twitter.com/GT3MiCrVhG

— @Defensamx (@Defensamx1) August 6, 2026

*Main image courtesy of Mexico's Secretariat of National Defense via X

The second edition of the Global Avocado Summit will be held on November 11, 2026, at the Monticello Casino Events Center in Santiago, Chile. Organized by Paltas de Chile and Yentzen Group, the meeting seeks to bring together the main players in a growing industry

The event has established itself as a key space for addressing commercial and sustainability issues in the industry, bringing together producers, exporters, buyers, certifiers, and innovators to analyze the sector’s challenges and opportunities.

For more info, contact events@yentzengroup.com

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