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Earlier this week, we published an article on Mexican towns and cities that are dealing with public corruption and record violence by effectively seceding from the state. But we wanted to elaborate more on this story by recounting what it was like to report on each town, which we visited last year, and offering our thoughts on its larger lesson for Mexico and the world.

This article originally appeared in our Interpreter newsletter, and two more pieces spotlighting the other areas will publish later this month. So sign up the Interpreter newsletter here, and let us know what you think: interpreter@nytimes.com.

We came to Monterrey, a rich commercial city, with many questions. But there was one we asked over and over because we just could not believe the answer we kept getting.

Are you really O.K. with local business leaders seizing control of the police?

We asked rich and poor. We asked in corporate offices and community outreach centers. We asked activists and government officials. We asked a man who had been forced from his home by criminals. We asked a nun.