The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, committed to ensuring that the murder of priest Marcelo Pérez Pérez, a defender of indigenous peoples in Chiapas, a state plagued by organized crime violence, does not go unpunished. In her morning conference, Sheinbaum expressed her sorrow over the homicide and assured that an investigation is underway regarding this matter.
The tragic incident took place in San Cristóbal de las Casas, where Pérez Pérez, of Tzotzil origin, was shot while in his vehicle in the Cuxtitali neighborhood. According to initial official reports, armed individuals on a motorcycle intercepted the priest after he officiated a mass at the local parish, shooting him at least twice.
Condemnation of the murder was swift, with the Catholic Church and international organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Mexico expressing their rejection of the crime. UN-DH has recorded at least 134 homicides of human rights defenders related to their work in Mexico since 2017, with seven murders occurring this year.
Indigenous peoples have alerted to a situation of "civil war" in Chiapas since 2023, due to clashes between organized crime groups seeking control of illicit trafficking in the southern border. The violence in the region has raised concerns at national and international levels, fueling calls for justice and security in the area. President Sheinbaum has assured that efforts will be coordinated to clarify the crime and prevent it from going unpunished.
