Religious bigotry skyrocketing in Oaxaca, home of Benito Juárez

In the land of Benito Juárez, known as Oaxaca, a troubling issue of religious intolerance has surfaced. This issue, which has been the focus of discussions and concerns, is particularly prevalent in the community of San Lorenzo and Cerro Cajón Ranchería.

The director of Religious Affairs of Oaxaca, Edwin Martínez Espindola, has called for a dialogue with the persecuted representatives in San Lorenzo public offices, aiming to address the ongoing persecution of non-majority beliefs. This persecution, according to journalist and sociologist Carlos Monsiváis, often labels indigenous people who abandon Catholicism as committing a "crime" or "betrayal."

The burning of an evangelical temple in Cerro Cajón Ranchería, a Chinantec community under the administration of the San Isidro Arenal agency, was admitted by the Archbishop of Oaxaca, Pedro Vásquez Villalobos, to be the work of Catholics. The Archbishop, expressing sadness and shame, stated that God does not agree with such actions.

The Archbishop's statements, along with those of other religious leaders, have been circulated, with his homily on the issue appearing in media reports. However, it remains unclear if the authorities are taking effective steps to address and solve the issue while safeguarding human rights.

The persecution of Oaxacan evangelicals is a violation of their constitutional rights, which have their origin in the Law of Freedom of Religion, promulgated by Benito Juárez in 1860. Yet, since 1993, it has been forbidden to profess a religion other than Roman Catholicism in certain communities.

The conflict has religious, political, and economic ramifications. Religious officeholders often hold civilian positions and enforce religious rules, creating a complex web of power dynamics. Those who do not comply with religious norms professed by the majority and do not join public expressions of these (as in the case of San Juan Lalana) are often seen as challengers of the community's socio-political organization.

The meeting called to address these issues was delayed for five hours, indicating the deep-rooted nature of the problem. The search results did not contain information about what the Archbishop of Oaxaca proposed as future measures against religious discrimination.

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This article was originally published in La Jornada de México and translated into English by Evangelical Focus, under Latin American perspectives. Carlos Martínez Garcia, a journalist and sociologist, founder of the Centre of Mexican Protestant Studies (Cenpromex), a network of evangelical researchers studying Protestantism from different perspectives, has been closely following this issue.

It is crucial that steps are taken to ensure the protection of religious minorities and the upholding of the constitutional rights of all citizens in Oaxaca. The future actions of the authorities will be closely watched as they navigate this complex and sensitive issue.