Catholic-Drug Cartel Talks Take Place in Mexico

Catholic-drug cartel talks

CATHOLIC-DRUG CARTEL TALKS. In mid-Feb., Catholic bishops in Mexico met with the bosses of drug cartels to negotiate peace. President Lopez Obrador said he approves of such talks. But he left the bishops few alternatives. Because his government refuses to confront cartels, unarmed civilians must seek peace deals.

These talks took place in the state of Chilpancingo-Chilapa. Previously such Catholic-cartel talks have taken place in the neighboring state of Michoacan and elsewhere. But one Michoacan parish priest said this only proved the government “can’t provide safe conditions.” He could not safely provide his name to his interviewers. Already cartel hitmen have killed nine priests in the past five years who talked too much.

Recently, such talks in Guerrero failed because a cartel demanded bishops recognize its “territory.” In cartel-controlled territory, druglords extort money from almost every business operating there. That drives prices higher and non-compliant companies out of business. Even the popular resort state of Quintana Roo has seen cartels fight over its territory. Only two weeks ago, six cartel members got arrested for hacking five people to death in Cancun.

Some say Pope Francis implicitly agrees with such negotiations with cartels. He has warned to “never dialogue with the devil.” Yet he’s admitted that sometimes you must negotiate with aggressors, “even when it stinks.” But as the parish priest observed, “we wouldn’t have to do this if the government did its job right.”

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