SAN ANDRES LARRAINZAR, Mexico (AP) 鈥 Hundreds gathered Monday to mourn Catholic priest Marcelo P茅rez, an activist for Indigenous peoples and farm laborers who was killed in the southern Mexico state of Chiapas.
It was a killing that many say was a tragedy foretold, in a state where drug cartels have caused thousands of people to flee their homes.
Mourners gathered in San Andres Larrainzar, near the city of San Cristobal de las Casas, where P茅rez was killed on Sunday.
P茅rez, a leading activist for peace in the violence-torn state, was from San Andr茅s Larrainzar. A mass in his honor Monday was held in Spanish and Tzotzil, the Indigenous language he spoke.
P茅rez, 50, had often received threats, but nonetheless continued to work as a peace activist. Human rights advocates said P茅rez did not receive the government protection he needed.
鈥淔or years, we insisted that the Mexican government should address the threats and aggressions against him, but they never implemented measures to guarantee his life, security and well-being,鈥 The Fray Bartolome de las Casas human rights center wrote.
While there was no immediate information on the killers 鈥 President Claudia Sheinbaum only said that 鈥渋nvestigations are being carried out鈥 鈥 Rev. P茅rez's peace and mediation efforts may have angered one of the two drug cartels that .
The state is a lucrative route for smuggling both drugs and migrants.
鈥淔ather Marcelo P茅rez was the subject of constant threats and aggressions on the part of organized crime groups,鈥 according to the rights center, adding that his killing 鈥渙ccurred in the context of a serious escalation of violence against the public in all the regions of Chiapas.鈥
For at least the last two years, the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels have been engaged in bloody turf battles that involve killing whole families, and forcing villagers to take sides in the dispute. Hundreds of for their own safety.
鈥淭hey should look for an intelligent way to disarm those groups,鈥 said Cardinal Felipe Arizmendi, who once served as the bishop for the area. 鈥淭hey shouldn't wait for people to file complaints, and people are going to file complaints because their lives are at risk.鈥
Together with continued drug violence in the northern state of Sinaloa, and earlier this month, the killing of P茅rez was another embarrassment for the government.
Sheinbaum took office Oct. 1 and has pledged to follow the policy of her predecessor and mentor, former president Andr茅s Manuel L贸pez Obrador, . The policy has failed to significantly reduce violence.
鈥淭his is a reflection of the whole country,鈥 Cardinal Arizmendi said following the mass for P茅rez. 鈥淭hey shouldn't say everything is fine in Mexico. Please.鈥 he continued. 鈥淭his strategy has not worked.鈥
The state prosecutors鈥 office said Rev. P茅rez was shot dead by two gunmen when he was in his van, just after he had finished celebrating Mass.
He served in the community for two decades and was known as a negotiator in conflicts in a mountainous region of Chiapas where crime, violence and land disputes are rife. P茅rez also led several marches against violence, which has brought him several death threats.
The U.N. Human Rights Office said P茅rez was the seventh human rights activist killed in Mexico so far in 2024.
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