Vigilante groups in Michoacan state of Mexico register weapons

Soldiers inspect vehicles at a checkpoint at the entrance of Apatzingan in Mexico’s violence-racked Michoacan state.  (Alfredo Estrella / AFP/Getty Images)

Mexican military and federal police regularly patrol the city of Apatzingan in Mexico’s Michoacan state.   (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Residents and vigilantes show up at a gun registration organized by the Mexican government in the city of Apatzingan.   (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Residents and vigilantes register their weapons in Apatzingan, Mexico.   (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

A man waits to register his weapon in Apatzingan.   (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

A member of a vigilante group sleeps at a checkpoint near the city of Apatzingan.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Estanislao Beltran, center, known as Papa Pitufo, or Papa Smurf, is the leader of the so-called self-defense forces in Apatzingan, Mexico.   (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Limes are big business in Michoacan and prices on the international market have been soaring. The Knights Templar cartel dominated the farmers and production of limes. Now that they are on the run, the marketplace has returned to normal.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Mexican military and federal police regularly patrol the city of Apatzingan.   (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Daily life is beginning to return to normal in Apatzingan, Mexico.   (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Wary residents are hoping they will be safe in Apatzingan and throughout the Mexican state of Michoacan.   (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

A woman carries a statue of St. Jude, the patron saint for hopeless cases, in Apatzingan.   (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Swallows fly at dusk above Apatzingan.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

A group sings in the streets of Apatzingan, Mexico.   (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

A DVD stand in Apatzingan displays mostly action films about cartels and assassins.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

The rainy season has come early to Apatzingan, which is good news for farmers.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Esperanza Bejar passes the hearse holding her son, Roberto, who was kidnapped and beaten up by police over a business deal, she said, and then kidnapped and beaten by some of the more violent vigilantes. The pressure was too much, and he killed himself, she said.   (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Esperanza Bejar places her hand on her son’s casket in Apatzingan, Mexico.   (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)