Catholic Priest Activist Killed in Southern Mexico

Catholic Priest Activist Killed

CATHOLIC PRIEST ACTIVIST KILLED. At his funeral up to 2,000 mourners shouted “Justice for Marcelo” and similar rallying cries. Indigenous Catholic priest Marcelo Perez had worked long and hard for peace in the Chiapas border regions. There the Jalisco and Sinaloa drug cartels have been battling for turf for more than two years. Because it forms a link in the route for smuggling both drugs and migrants.

The two cartels try to force villagers to take sides and have killed whole families who have resisted. Perez had often raised his voice for that resistance and for peace mediation efforts. Hundreds of Chiapas residents have fled to Guatemala for refuge, but he had steadfastly remained.

The Fray Bartolome de las Casas has been tracking cartel threats against Perez. “For years, we insisted that the Mexican government should address the threats and aggressions against him. But they never implemented measures to guarantee his life, security and well-being.”

Now federal prosecutors are taking over the case, but are not naming the one suspect they have. Nor are they yet revealing any motive. President Claudia Sheinbaum said only that “investigations are being carried out.” Violence now is escalating against the public in all parts of Chiapas. Now with one less indigenous leader, who will stand up for them against the cartels?

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Photo: Cristo de Copoya statue, Chiapas, ricraider, Wikimedia Commons