Mexican bishop proposes a “social Pact” which would include drug traffickers in an effort to reduce violence. This has led to calls for President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s security policies to be rethought.
According to Sigifredo Noriega (bishop of Zacatecas’ violent northern state), the pact was necessary so that “all of humanity and even criminals” could join in one way or another, Milenio reported.
Since two Jesuit priests were killed in Chihuahua’s northern state, Lopez Obrador has been under scrutiny for his security strategy.
Authorities have identified the Sinaloa cartel boss as the suspect in those murders. Jose Noriel Portillo Gil alias “El Chueco” is being sought for the 2018 murder of a tourist from America.
The reward for information leading the capture of the accused killer was announced by state prosecutors at $250,000. He remains in hiding. It was claimed to be the largest reward ever offered by the state in its history.
After the attack, Mexican Catholic bishops called on the government to “review the security strategies that are failing”
Monday’s statement by the Mexican Episcopal Conference stated that it is committed to “dialogue to create a path to justice and reconciliation that leads to peace.”
According to the Catholic Multimedia Center, seven priests were killed by the current administration. The former president took office in 2012, and there were at least two dozen under his predecessor. Three priests were murdered in Mexico in one week in 2016.
Another priest claimed that he was beaten in violence-plagued Michoacan over the weekend. Rev. Rev.
Lopez Obrador defended this week his security policy that focuses on the root causes of violence and poverty.
Tuesday’s statement by him stated that he supports forgiveness, but his government does not negotiate with criminals.
Since 2006, when the government deployed the army to combat drug cartels, more than 340,000 people have been killed in a vicious cycle of bloodshed.
The government attributes most of the deaths to gangs that are involved in drug trafficking, fuel theft and kidnapping.
