Mexico: Church expresses concern about pre-election violence

As reported by CNN on 3 June 2024, preliminary results show that Mexico has elected its first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum, a Jewish climate scientist and Mexico City’s former mayor. She was the candidate for the ruling Coalition Let's Keep Making History. At the same time, on 2 June 2024, 128 Senators and 50 Deputies of the Lower House were also elected.

The elections were accompanied by widespread violence such as robberies of polling stations, attempted arson, shootings, assaults and threats to members of political parties by unknown groups. In response to the pre-election violence, the Conference of the Mexican Episcopate and leaders from various other Catholic entities convened a National Dialogue for Peace (accessed 4 June 2024), which included representatives from universities, media, non-Catholic churches, migrants and indigenous groups. A concluding document, the Commitment to Peace (CEM, accessed 4 June 2024), was prepared to present public policy proposals addressing the crisis of deteriorating security in the country. This document was signed by the three presidential candidates, although Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her disagreement with the Episcopal Conference’s views on security issues (Independiente, 12 March 2024).

Further details about the pre-election violence include:

• A report published by Integralia Consultores showing that 560 victims of political violence were recorded (ranging from threats and kidnappings to murders) between 1 September 2023 and 1 May 2024. This gives an average of two victims a day and includes 31 assassinations of candidates or pre-candidates (Infobae, 1 June 2024).

• A report published by Civic Data covering 1-30 April 2024 showing that 70 incidents of political-criminal violence occurred in a single month. The states where these incidents in April occurred were: Guanajuato, Veracruz, Chiapas, Nuevo León, Puebla, Morelos, Guerrero, Tabasco, Michoacán, Mexico City, Colima, Oaxaca, Baja California, Jalisco, San Luis Potosí, Mexico, Quintana Roo. From the beginning of the federal electoral period in September 2023 up to 30 April 2024, 80 people involved with the elections (pre-candidates, candidates, and members) were attacked by criminal groups.

World Watch Research analyst Rossana Ramirez comments: “It seems that pre-election violence has become a standard part of the social and political scene in Mexico. For criminal groups seeking to influence public life, the use of violence has become a tool to highlight their control over the territories where they are established. This is done through threats, attacks and murders targeting public officials and candidates. This is the context in which the Catholic Church in particular continues to call for peace and to promote dialogue between various political actors for the benefit of the population in general. The work of these Christian leaders is not without hostile opposition from criminal groups and from being accused of interfering in political affairs (Noticias GDL, 7 May 2024).”