Priests in Mexico have been threatened with death by phone calls from alleged members of the Jalisco Nueva Generacion Cartel (CJNG), according to local media reports.
The diocese of San Cristobal de las Casas informed authorities last week that Fr Marcelo Perez, his family and members of the Parochial Council of San Antonio of Padua were threatened with death if they did not obey the requests of the CJNG.
According to the threatening call, the Church through its priests must “align” and recognise the CJNG as master of the territory.
In return they offer to keep the peace in the area, otherwise there will be blood in the community.
The CJNG seeks to intimidate rural areas with fear, but Chiapas is an area where 18 municipalities have united through social pastoral care in defence of human rights, according to information from the diocese.
Bishop Rodrigo Aguilar of the diocese states that despite these threats, the work of Catholics in the region will not stop because it is a “successful commitment after so many years of commitment of the diocese with the population”.