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l President of the Conference of the Mexican Episcopate (CEM), Monsignor Ramón Castro Castro, demarcated from the Archbishop of Morelia, Carlos Garfias, who insists on the need for civil society and governments to establish conversations with the narco to ensure the violence that is lived in many entities of the country.
The positions of the bishops were revealed in a workshop taught at the Pontifical University of Mexico (July 14 and 15). Some 40 priests and 30 laity of different states participated in the workshop for the strengthening of negotiation capacities in priests and agents, organized by the Catholic Church.
In a statement, the CEM presidency clarified on July 15 that the workshop did not intend to establish negotiations or dialogues with criminal organizations. Why of the title of strengthen negotiation capabilities
? In contradicting Carlos Garfias’s approach, the CEM intended to clarify: The bet is not to look for dialogue with criminal groups to build the country’s peace, but to socialize methodologies that work with all sectors to build paths of peace
.
Garfias and several bishops located in areas of high conflict affirm that the main objective is a collaboration between the Church, the authorities and civil society, to approach the criminal groups, help the offender rehabilitates
and improve the humanitarian conditions of the population reducing violence in the country.
The Jesuit Jorge Atilano folds to the CEM and points out that the objective of the workshop was to repair damage and strengthen peace from the local
in dialogue with national and international actors. On the posture of the Archbishop of Morelia, he said: “Perhaps Archbishop Garfias has that interest in mediating with the narcobut it is not the official proposal ”; this was also the executive coordinator of the National Dialogue. The workshop, without a doubt, reopened the episode of the dispute between the bishops.
From the murders of the Jesuits in the Sierra Tarahumara, in Chihuahua, the Church has hardened its speech before the security policy of the 4T and reproaches the growing militarization of the country. This group made the candidates for the presidency of Mexico sign a statement in favor of peace. The then candidate Claudia Sheinbaum signed it critically and under protest, because she disagreed with the fundamentals of the document.
Beyond the nuances among the prelates, a double speech is manifested. The relationship between Catholic Church and organized crime dates from the 1970s. With recurrence they appear, not only scandals for calls Narcolimnasbut mediation episodes with organized crime. Recall the controversy in public opinion and in the political class on meetings at the beginning of 2024, and the agreements that the four bishops of Guerrero had with criminal groups such as The Michoacan family, the Tlacos and the Ardillos. And further back, the then bishop of the Diocese Chilpancingo-Chilapa, Salvador Rangel, agreed with the criminals an electoral truce, not to continue killing candidates. There is a political forgetfulness because the CEM, then, supported and justified the meetings and pacts between bishops and criminal organizations.
There are different criteria among Mexican bishops: some, given the growing violence in the country, see the local need to dialogue and negotiate with organized crime; Other bishops are scandalized or are inappropriate to show historical links. For 40 years, organized crime has penetrated the police devices, the Judiciary, business sectors, political parties. It is logical to assume that it has also touched the churches, particularly the Catholic.
Beyond nuances between prelates, a double discourse is manifested, because the relationship of exchanges and agreements between bishops and organized crime has a long historicity. Let us remember some media jewels that reveal great donations and prebendas of criminal organizations to the Catholic Church.
1) 1997. Priest Raúl Soto, canon of the Basilica of Guadalupe, said Homily that more Mexicans should follow the example of drug traffickers Rafael Caro Quintero and Amado Carrillo, who delivered several millionaire donations to the Church.
2) 1993. The murder of Jesus Posadas Ocampo for drug bosses.
3) At that time, Father Gerardo Montaño is the link of the Tijuana Cartel.
4) The mysterious meetings of the Arellano Félix brothers with the Nuncio Girolamo Prigione at the Apostolic Headquarters of Mexico. They negotiate with Carlos Salinas de Gortari in December 1993.
5) In 2005 Ramón Godínez, Bishop of Aguascalientes and former secretary of the CEM, acknowledged receiving donations from narco and bless bleaching money.
6) 2009. The president of the CEM, Monsignor Carlos Aguiar Retes, insistently recommended evangelizing the world of narco and incorporate repentant capos.
7) August 2020. THE MARROCapo of the Santa Rosa de Lima poster, admits to having given substantial resources and land to the Diocese of Celaya.
8) August 2022. Norberto Rivera in the sight of the FBI, due to his close relationship with Mexican businessman Fernando Pyro de la O, indicated by alleged money laundering of the money from narco.
Finally: Has the Church benefit from this strange relationship with organized crime? Catholic bishops believe they see from outside the excessive violence of the country, do not recognize that the Church itself is also responsible for deterioration?
