Church accuses electoral violence, closes ranks with Bishop Rangel and denounces attack with bots

MEXICO CITY (process.com.mx).- The Catholic Church had a Sunday of intense political activism, with the call for a prayer against violence and a statement from the Episcopate in favor of Bishop Salvador Rangel.

The Primate Archdiocese of Mexico called for a “Rosary for Peace in the World 2024” to ask for an end to electoral violence in Mexico.

In the editorial of its Desde la Fe magazine it was announced that the Rosary for Peace in the World 2024 will be broadcast live on May 8 at 8:00 p.m., through the social networks of the Mexican Episcopate Conference. the Archdiocese of Mexico and Desde la fe.

The event will be directed by the Primate Archbishop, Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, and will have the participation of Monsignor Ramón Castro Castro, general secretary of the CEM, in addition to the Auxiliary Bishops, priests, nuns and lay people of the Archdiocese of Mexico, it was announced.

“No one is exempt from the violence our country is going through. Businessmen, citizens, adolescents, humble workers, religious people, migrants, even politicians and candidates, have suffered firsthand the pain of the consequences of the decomposition of the social fabric, which is reflected in the contempt for human life, the perversion of values, the deification of power and money, and in the empire of impunity, evil and selfishness,” says the editorial of Desde la Fe.

However, he points out, violence is not exclusive to Mexico, but unfortunately, scenarios of excessive violence and death are being experienced in several countries around the world.

“Confident that what man breaks down, God repairs, from the Primate Archdiocese of Mexico we are calling for the ‘Rosary for Peace in the World 2024’, to ask God, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to stop wars, and for those who have lost peace or a loved one.

“This initiative aims to respond to the call of Pope Francis to cry out to God to stop the war that several regions of the world are suffering, especially in the Middle East, but also to stop the violence that prevails in Mexico, especially , in the middle of the electoral process, which has been one of the most violent in national history,” says the editorial of the Archbishopric’s publication.

In particular, it stands out From Faithseveral leaders of the group of searching mothers will participate, as well as migrants who are cared for in a shelter in Mexico City.

CEM closes ranks with Rangel

Meanwhile, the Catholic Church in Mexico closed ranks around the case of the bishop emeritus of Guerrero, Salvador Rangel Mendoza.

The Mexican Episcopal Confederation (CEM) asked the authorities for a thorough and impartial investigation.

He rejected the use of prejudices and disqualifications that, they say, strain the atmosphere. And he announced that once Salvador Rangel can declare, he will do so institutionally and that the CEM will act according to its canonical norm.

Separately, the bishops of Guerrero rejected any act of violence that threatens the dignity, rights and life of Salvador Rangel.

Since his arrival in Guerrero from Salvador Rangel, he has been critical of the security strategies of the state governments, first of the PRI’s Héctor Astudillo, and now of Evelyn Salgado (nominated by Morena), as well as the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

He has also sought the pacification of the entity through dialogue with criminal bosses and in the political aspect he has been close to former governor Rubén Figueroa Alcocer.

The statements come six days after the disappearance in Jiutepec, Morelos, of the bishop emeritus of the Chilpancingo – Chilapa Diocese.

At first, prosecutor Uriel Carmona declared that it could have been an express kidnapping.

Three days later, the Security Commissioner of Morelos, José Antonio Ortiz, announced that the prelate had been located in a hotel in Cuernavaca where he arrived voluntarily accompanied by another man.

On Friday on Televisa’s main newscast, Luis Alberto Vázquez, the bishop’s lawyer, reported that Rangel told him that the last thing he remembers before losing consciousness is that he entered an Oxxo store.

Solidarity on video

In a video, Ramón Castro Castro, bishop of Cuernavaca and general secretary of the CEM, thanked the solidarity and support in favor of the integrity of the bishop emeritus of Chilpancingo in these times of fake news and polarization.

“We deeply regret that conjectures are made lightly about the appearance of Monsignor Salvador Rangel that, far from clarifying, confuse people of good will and damage the integrity of those who are currently prevented from sharing their experience.

He accused that the situation has taken a turn of “political instrumentation” that is far from truth and justice.

He warned that once “monsignor” has the capacity to declare the CEM he will do so institutionally and with the certainty that according to his canonical regulations he will have to act.

“We urge the authorities to carry out an exhaustive and objective, impartial, fair and illuminating investigation that contributes to justice, but based on the investigation and the provision of evidence.”

“We reject the use of prejudices and disqualifications expressed in social media that only contributes to straining the atmosphere in which Mexican society, wounded by extreme polarization, is immersed,” said the representative of the bishops’ collegiate body this Sunday.

Simultaneously, the Archbishop of Acapulco, Leopoldo Gonzalez Gonzalez and the Bishops of Ciudad Altamirano, Chilpancingo-Chilapa, and Tlapa, Joel Ocampo Gorostiet, Jose de Jesus Gonzalez Hernandez and Dagoberto Sosa Arriaga, issued a position around the “violence suffered ” by his brother, Monsignor Salvador Rangel Mendoza, bishop emeritus.

They expressed their appreciation and recognized his commitment and dedication to not leave the communities of his diocese defenseless in the face of violence, running risks and dangers that only he and God know.

“We reject all acts of violence against the dignity, rights and life of Don Salvador and of every person.

“We trust and hope that the various levels of government and law enforcement will intervene to clarify the facts and proceed in accordance with the law.”

Finally they asked for the prompt and complete recovery of Rangel Mendoza.

“Bot Factory”

Meanwhile, the bishop of Cuernavaca, Ramón Castro y Castro, assured that the government of “You Know Who” uses a bot factory to question the moral authority of the Church and carries out a campaign of persecution, using the case of what happened with the bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa, Salvador Rangel Mendoza.

This noon, in his traditional Sunday homily, the also secretary of the Conference of the Mexican Episcopate (CEM), assured that, without having evidence, he is ensuring that Rangel Mendoza “did something bad”, while he maintained that the prosecutor Uriel Carmona Gándara , who is responsible for the investigation of the case, has told them that there is all the evidence to prove that it was an express kidnapping.

“When a person is accused, you have to give the person the opportunity to defend themselves and at this moment they have not yet been able, as a result of the drug they injected, to be able to defend themselves and say exactly what happened. Therefore conjectures are being made lightly,” she said to begin with.

He maintained that once Bishop Rangel appeared last Monday, “all kinds of conjectures have been made, they are confusing many people and above all they are highlighting the evil that the human heart has.” But that is not the worst, according to the prelate, because “as if that were not enough, this situation has been taken as a political instrument: thousands of people interested in damaging the moral authority of the Church.”

He said that “You know who,” in reference to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and his 4T movement, is using “a bot factory” to attack the Catholic Church. “They said: ‘We are going to take advantage of this moment and we are going to give everything so that the church loses its moral authority.’” He then asked himself “where is the respect for the dignity of the person, where is the right of reply.”

He asked those who have to carry out the investigation to do so with professionalism, in accordance with the law and with ethics. He announced that once the bishop emeritus has the capacity to declare, he will do so and then “we will know in depth what has happened.” And immediately he revealed that prosecutor Uriel Carmona Gándara said “that there are all the elements to say that it was an express abduction, express kidnapping,” he assured.

Finally he left the door open to the possibility that Bishop Rangel Mendoza may have done “something bad”: “If there were eventually something to accuse (against Salvador Rangel), the Church has its canon law, the law of the Church is strong and “Whoever violates that ecclesiastical law and deserves a penalty and we do not cover anyone, no one, priest or bishop, if they have done something bad there is the canonical punishment.” He said the atmosphere has been tense and has a “characteristic of persecution.”

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