Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Mexico City (Agenzia Fides) – The Archdiocese of Mexico, in a statement from its Communications Department, Sistema Informativo de la Arquidiocesis de Mexico , denounces continual violence in the country which sometimes even impedes the political life of the community: “We have reached the limit when we see criminals in control of certain districts of the city issue threats which cause fear even among the authorities which out of fear decide to forego their duties. Whole districts, Nayarit, Durango, Tamaulipas, Chihuahua, Guerrero live in conditions of uncertainty; on certain motorways in Michoacan, Sinaloa, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas the authorities are so incapable that organised crime has its own control points”.
The local Catholic Church raises its voice to call for the violence to stop. “The level of insecurity today - says the statement – reveals a society in which values, social and family tissue have collapsed and indolence among many authorities which fail to fulfil their responsibility, thrives”.
Figures are frightening: 85 murders performed by organised crime in one day alone, Friday 11 June, or the execution of 12 members of the federal police at Michoacan, or the inhuman act of shooting for pure pleasure at a Centre for Rehabilitation where 29 people were left dead.
Crime imposes its laws even on the police, “either with better weapons and better plans or with threats and corruption. We have come to the extreme point that it is even possible that criminals may exercise their power during the next elections, not only by imposing candidates to guarantee their own funding or political position, but even preventing the elections from taking place and denying citizens the right to choose the candidate they consider best suited ”.
People in several states in Mexico will be called to vote on 4 July. This opportunity to take an active part in the political life of the country has been encouraged by bishops and priests. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Mexico issued a statement encouraging Catholics to help build a Mexico of more justice, less violence and in peace (see Fides 16/04/2010). (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 21/06/2010)
