Tag: Latin America

Cuba’s religious freedom violations ‘remain high’

January 25, 2018 Cuba Communism, Cuba, Latin America

The latest figures on religious-rights violations in Cuba show a “general trend of a steady increase”, according to the latest report from advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). In 2017 the group recorded 325 violations of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). Last year’s figure is lower than 2016 and 2015, when . . . Read More

Mexico a ‘case study in government inaction’ as third priest killed this year

July 12, 2017 Mexico Catholics, Coahuila, Latin America, Los Zetas, Mexico City, Michoacán, Nayarit, Organised crime, Tijuana

A third Mexican priest this year has been killed following a violent attack at his parish just outside Mexico City. Luis Lopez Villa, 71, was killed by intruders at his San Isidro Labrador parish in Nezahualcóyotl on 5 July. An initial police report said his hands and feet were bound . . . Read More

Building resistance to Mexico’s culture of corruption

June 14, 2017 Mexico Corruption, Juarez, Latin America, Organised crime, Tijuana

While most people think of Syria or Iraq as the deadliest places on the planet, Latin America has recently fought its way into the conversation as the global epicentre of deadly crimes committed outside war zones. In 2015, 43 of the world’s 50 most dangerous cities were located in Latin . . . Read More

Majority-Christian Mexico still struggling to ensure religious freedom for rural converts

April 6, 2017 Mexico Catholics, Converts, Jalisco, Latin America, Oaxaca, Tuxpan de Bolaños

Some of the Christians from San Juan Ozolotepec.

As many as 90% of Mexico’s population would identify as Christian, yet not all of them are free to practise their faith. Some come under pressure from drug cartels, either by being members of churches who meet regularly and carry money for giving offerings there and are therefore seen as . . . Read More

Christians easy targets in Mexico’s lawless borderlands

April 6, 2017 Mexico Chihuahua, Juarez, Latin America, Organised crime

The Governor of Mexico’s northern state of Chihuahua, Javier Corral, admitted last week that his government does not have the means to tackle organised crime, and that he’s asked for federal resources to fight the drug cartels. This came four days after the murder of a local journalist, who’d reported . . . Read More

Argentinian priest transferred due to drug traffickers’ threats

March 17, 2017 Argentina Argentina, Baptists, Córdoba, Corruption, Latin America, Marcelo Nieva, Organised crime

Police in Buenos Aires, 2013. (Flickr / Beatrice Murch / CC)

An Argentinian priest has been transferred from his parish due to repeated threats from drug traffickers, reports Agenzia Fides. His bishop, Fernando Carlos Maletti, made the decision to transfer Father Eduardo Farrell due to the continued threat of violence in the Sagrado Corazon parish of Merlo-Morena diocese, 25 miles west . . . Read More

Mexico drug cartels charging churches ‘taxes’ now ‘very common’

March 17, 2017 Mexico Coahuila, Latin America, Organised crime, USA

Mexico is infamous for its high crime rates. (Photo: Otay Detention Centre in California, next to Mexican border / BBC World Service / CC)

A Mexican church leader has provided fresh insight into the ways in which Christians in Latin America come under pressure in areas controlled by drug cartels. The pastor, who wished to remain anonymous, told World Watch Monitor about the “tax” churches can be charged to be allowed to remain open. . . . Read More

US missionary receives award for ‘changing hearts’ among Colombia’s FARC

January 24, 2017 Colombia Arauca, Communism, FARC, Juan Manuel Santos, Latin America, Missionaries, Russ Stendal

Russell Stendal, right, meets with FARC negotiators Yuri Camargo, left; and Noel Pérez, center, in Cuba in Early 2015.

Russ Stendal.World Watch Monitor An American missionary has received an award for his decades of work ministering to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or the FARC, whose 50-year fight against the government had been the world’s longest continuous war when it ended in a peace agreement last August. . . . Read More

Expelled Mexican Christians forced to live in wine cellar

January 17, 2017 Mexico Coahuila, Colotlán, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Latin America, Organised crime, Tuxpan de Bolaños

Following their eviction on 26 January 2016, the seven families have been surviving in various temporary shelters provided for them by the state government.World Watch Monitor A year after seven Christian families were forced from their homes in a village in the western Mexican state of Jalisco, the 30 . . . Read More

‘Castro’s death won’t end repression of Cuban Church’

December 1, 2016 Cuba Fidel Castro, Havana, Latin America, Pope Francis, Raúl Castro

The death of Cuba’s revolutionary leader Fidel Castro will not reduce the harassment and surveillance to which the Church is already subjected, an analyst at the charity Open Doors has warned. Following Castro’s death at the age of 90 on Saturday (26 Nov.), Paul Groen told World Watch Monitor: “Fidel’s . . . Read More

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