Mexico Facts
Score: 62 / 100
Region: Latin America
Persecution Type: Ethnic Antagonism
Persecution Level: Very High
Population: 130,759,000
Christians: 125,347,000
Main Religion: Christianity
Government: Federal Presidential Republic
Leader: President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
Profile of Persecution
Violence 81%
Church Life 58%
National Life 61%
Community Life 73%
Family Life 45%
Private Life 50%
Organized crime goes unconfronted
Due to the government’s inability to confront violence, some Christians feel forced to implement their own security strategies against acts of Christian persecution, including engaging leaders of criminal groups themselves. Organized crime primarily targets priests and pastors, while indigenous power holders pressure Christians through fines, denying basic community service and imprisonment. The state attorney general in Guerrero has falsely implied that priests were engaged in criminal activity, further inflaming religious tensions.
How Christians are suffering
Christians, their leaders and their church buildings are increasingly becoming victims of attacks, threats, extortion, and other pressures–not just in those states known to be the most violent, but throughout the whole country. There is a strong presence of criminal cells in more regions than before as well. As a result, Christians are increasingly becoming victims of harassment, criticism and ridicule, especially in public debates concerning abortion, same-sex marriage and comprehensive sex education.
Examples
In April 2018, three priests were killed. One was abducted in Cuernavaca and died in the process of his rescue. Another was shot dead in Jalisco in his church office. A third was stabbed to death inside a church in Mexico City. Elevated violence has led churches to change their activities to minimize threats, including prohibiting church leaders from going out alone and church members from bringing valuables to the church.
Pray for Mexico
Mexico Photo Gallery
Stories from Mexico
August 17, 2018
In Mexico, Pastor Braces for Death But God Does the Miraculous
In Mexico, church leaders are targeted because of their church's restorative work with the community--seen by drug cartels as a hindrance to their…
+ READ MORE
July 27, 2018
7 Vacation Paradises that Are No Holiday for Christians
Here are seven popular resort destinations that rank high on the 2018 World Watch List of the 50 toughest countries…
+ READ MORE
June 14, 2018
Persecution on Global Stage at World Cup–7 Participating Countries on World Watch List
Over the next month, we can look to these seven countries on the World Watch List as reminders to pray…
+ READ MORE
LOAD MORE STORIES
Score: 62 / 100
Region: Latin America
Persecution Type: Ethnic Antagonism
Persecution Level: Very High
Population: 130,759,000
Christians: 125,347,000
Main Religion: Christianity
Government: Federal Presidential Republic
Leader: President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
Profile of Persecution
Violence 81%
Church Life 58%
National Life 61%
Community Life 73%
Family Life 45%
Private Life 50%
Organized crime goes unconfronted
Due to the government’s inability to confront violence, some Christians feel forced to implement their own security strategies against acts of Christian persecution, including engaging leaders of criminal groups themselves. Organized crime primarily targets priests and pastors, while indigenous power holders pressure Christians through fines, denying basic community service and imprisonment. The state attorney general in Guerrero has falsely implied that priests were engaged in criminal activity, further inflaming religious tensions.
How Christians are suffering
Christians, their leaders and their church buildings are increasingly becoming victims of attacks, threats, extortion, and other pressures–not just in those states known to be the most violent, but throughout the whole country. There is a strong presence of criminal cells in more regions than before as well. As a result, Christians are increasingly becoming victims of harassment, criticism and ridicule, especially in public debates concerning abortion, same-sex marriage and comprehensive sex education.
Examples
In April 2018, three priests were killed. One was abducted in Cuernavaca and died in the process of his rescue. Another was shot dead in Jalisco in his church office. A third was stabbed to death inside a church in Mexico City. Elevated violence has led churches to change their activities to minimize threats, including prohibiting church leaders from going out alone and church members from bringing valuables to the church.
Pray for Mexico
- Pray the government will restrict the autonomy of indigenous communities who are given free rein to violate the human rights of Christians converts and harass members of minority religious groups.
- Pray the government will confront corruption within its own ranks, so it will be more effective in addressing widespread violence.
- Pray churches find ways to ensure the safety of their leaders in violent environments that are largely controlled by drug cartels.
Mexico Photo Gallery
Stories from Mexico
August 17, 2018
In Mexico, Pastor Braces for Death But God Does the Miraculous
In Mexico, church leaders are targeted because of their church's restorative work with the community--seen by drug cartels as a hindrance to their…
+ READ MORE
July 27, 2018
7 Vacation Paradises that Are No Holiday for Christians
Here are seven popular resort destinations that rank high on the 2018 World Watch List of the 50 toughest countries…
+ READ MORE
June 14, 2018
Persecution on Global Stage at World Cup–7 Participating Countries on World Watch List
Over the next month, we can look to these seven countries on the World Watch List as reminders to pray…
+ READ MORE
LOAD MORE STORIES
