A new report has been released stating that violence against Christians in Mexico has reached its "peak." Religious leaders are facing targeted killings and assaults, while hundreds of Catholics have encountered threats and extortion over the past six years.
The report, released by the Catholic Multimedia Centre (CCM) and shared by the UK-based watchdog Christian Solidarity Worldwide, reveals that nearly 900 members associated with Roman Catholic Church ministries experienced extortion or threats between 2018 and 2024. During this period, 26 religious buildings were also attacked.
The report highlights that under former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s administration (2018-2024), 10 Roman Catholic priests and a seminary student were murdered. It also notes that seven bishops and an additional seven priests survived violent attacks during his term. One priest was murdered under the current President, Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office in October.
“Like never before in the history of Mexico, violence has reached its peak,” the report states, “In one way or another, we have witnessed or, worse still, been shocked by the horror of violence, which in certain regions and cities, has reached the point of totally destabilizing aspects of economic life, social life, and the social and economic system.”
Anna Lee Stangl, CSW's Director of Advocacy, echoed concerns over the report's findings. “The CCM has been documenting this trend for almost 35 years, and it is of deep concern that attacks on priests and religious leaders spiked and have remained steadily high over the past three presidential administrations, with no real sign of improvement,” Stangl stated.
She called for solidarity with the CCM, urging the international community and the Mexican government to address various contributing factors, including impunity, corruption, and the proliferation of violent organized criminal groups involved in the international trafficking of human beings, weapons, and drugs.
The assassination of Fr. Marcelo Pérez Pérez, a priest and human rights activist from the San Cristóbal de las Casas Diocese in October, was highlighted as a direct attack on his human rights work, according to the report.
Crimes against religious leaders in Mexico are often underreported due to a pervasive culture of fear, leading many victims to hesitate in filing formal complaints. This, coupled with ineffective law enforcement, perpetuates the cycle of violence and intimidation faced by those in religious roles.
While there have been no recorded incidents of aggression against religious women, including those involved in social activism and pastoral work, the report indicates that they have likely experienced harm as well.
Moreover, evangelicals in Mexico have faced persecution in recent years. This spring, over 150 Protestant Christians were forcibly displaced from their communities in Mexico's Hidalgo state and pressured to sign an agreement that advocates assert violates human rights protections under Mexican law and restricts their religious freedom.
