The Mexican Bishops' Conference (CEM) condemned the murder of Uruapan's mayor, Carlos Manzo Rodríguez, and stated that the presence of criminal groups in various regions reveals a 'grave weakening of the constitutional order'. In a statement, it warned that this case adds to a series of attacks against people who have confronted organized crime and the absence of the rule of law in their communities. It adds to a series of murders of people who have dared to raise their voices and confront the lack of the rule of law in their lands, businesses, and other spaces. The Bishops' Conference emphasized that 'today it is no longer enough to apprehend the murderer: it is necessary to resolutely combat the cause of all these murders'. The CEM affirmed that the daily violence in various regions of the country is directly linked to the dominance exerted by criminal groups. The ordinary presence of armed groups that control the public life of citizens in several regions of the country is the real crime to be faced. You might be interested> Uruapan's mayor denounced the withdrawal of federal forces at the beginning of October. It also added that 'roadblocks, land dispossession, constant threats to producers, traders, and rulers reflect a grave weakening of the constitutional order that governments, at the municipal, state, and federal levels, are obliged to guarantee'. It also highlighted that, despite the risk, the Church maintains its pastoral work in violence zones. It indicated that priests, religious sisters, and pastoral agents 'remain faithful to their mission of announcing the Gospel, accompanying the communities, and opening paths of hope,' which — it stated — is a sign that 'light never goes out before darkness'. In the statement, the church made a direct call to those who provoke the violence 'to stop it and respect the life of all, for every brother is a gift of God for which we will be held accountable when we are before Him: 'Cain, where is your brother?' (Gn 4,9)'. It stressed that 'no one is born to do evil and no one will find their path to happiness by transgressing the dignity of their neighbor'. Finally, the CEM demanded that the authorities confront the root of the problem. 'The real crime, which is not only the tragic and outrageous death of a merchant or a mayor, like Bernardo Bravo and Carlos Manzo, but the threatened life of thousands of citizens who day by day see their freedoms outraged when traveling and developing their commercial and recreational activities'.
