(ZENIT News / Mexico City, 12.13.2024).- A harrowing report unveiled in Mexico City on December 9 by the Centro Católico Multimedia (CCM) casts a sobering light on the increasing dangers faced by Catholic clergy in Mexico. During the six-year presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, ten Catholic priests and a seminarian were brutally murdered. Additionally, seven bishops and seven priests narrowly survived violent attacks, underscoring the precarious environment in which religious leaders operate.
The report, co-authored by Guillermo Gazanini Espinoza, CCM’s Chief of Information, and Father Sergio Omar Sotelo Aguilar, CCM’s Director, also chronicled nearly 900 cases of extortion and threats directed at members of Catholic ministries. The alarming trend extended to physical attacks on church properties, with 26 documented incidents targeting religious buildings.
A Rising Toll Under New Leadership
While the administration of President Claudia Sheinbaum has just begun, it has already been marked by tragedy. In October, on World Mission Sunday, Father Marcelo Pérez Pérez, a human rights activist from the Diocese of San Cristóbal de las Casas, was violently killed. “His assassination was neither incidental nor a collateral event,” the report emphasized, describing his death as a direct result of his unwavering advocacy for human rights and his pastoral commitment to justice.
Culture of Impunity Deepens the Crisis
The CCM report highlights a pervasive culture of impunity that shields perpetrators and deters victims from reporting crimes. Many clergy working in humanitarian and social ministries within regions dominated by organized crime remain silent, fearing reprisals.
Pablo Vargas, national director of Impulso18, echoed these concerns at the report’s launch. “Religious leaders who champion the marginalized and confront corruption are often seen as threats by organized criminal groups,” he said. Vargas called on President Sheinbaum and state governments to dismantle this culture of impunity and establish robust protective mechanisms for human rights defenders, including religious leaders.
A Persistent Trend Across Administrations
Anna Lee Stangl, policy director at Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), noted that violence against clergy has surged across three consecutive presidential terms. “For nearly 35 years, the CCM has documented this alarming trend,” she said. “The continued escalation signals systemic issues that remain unaddressed.”
Stangl urged the international community to work alongside the Mexican government to tackle the underlying factors fueling the violence—impunity, corruption, and the unchecked rise of organized crime. She also highlighted the transnational implications of these criminal networks, which engage in human trafficking, arms smuggling, and drug trade, further exacerbating the risks faced by religious leaders.
Urgent Calls for Action
The CCM’s findings have drawn sharp attention to the vulnerability of those who advocate for peace and justice in Mexico. As the Church mourns its lost leaders, the call for systemic change grows louder. Whether through international partnerships or domestic reform, stakeholders are demanding urgent action to protect clergy and ensure their vital work continues unabated in one of the world’s most dangerous environments for religious leadership.
The full report is available here (only Spanish).
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