Attacks on churches and other Christian properties have increased dramatically in the last year, according to a survey by the NGO Missão Portas Abertas, which has closely monitored cases of religious persecution for decades.
In 2023, recorded episodes of vandalism against places related to faith rose by almost 600% compared to the previous year, rising from 2,110 to 14,766 actions of religious intolerance. Among the classified properties are temples and buildings managed by churches, such as schools, seminaries and hospitals.
In Latin America, a country that gained prominence in this regard was Mexico. According to the NGO, Christians face increasing pressure in their private lives and in individual expressions of faith, for example when exposing their beliefs on the internet or owning a Bible in indigenous communities.
Acts of violence against churches and private properties of believers have become more common in the country, which is ranked 37th in the world persecution ranking.
Unlike other countries, where governments are the main actors in repressing religion, a large part of the actions in Mexico are led by organized crime, which controls certain regions of the country. Drug cartels and indigenous groups continue to be the most prevalent agents of persecution in the country, which still has a majority Christian population.
Christians who speak out courageously against their activities, or who are involved in community work or evangelism – particularly with young people, drug addicts and migrants – are considered a threat, which makes them a target. Authorities are unable to contain the growing influence of these criminal groups, leaving Christians even more exposed to attacks.
In some indigenous communities, people who decide to abandon traditional or ancestral beliefs to follow Christianity face ostracism, fines, imprisonment and forced displacement. Because indigenous leaders are the “judges” in such areas, converts to the Christian faith have no protection over religious freedom.
Women who convert to Christianity in some indigenous communities face high levels of pressure, including forced marriages to non-Christian men to pressure them into renouncing their faith.
Organized crime also poses a threat to girls and women in Mexico. The country has one of the highest rates of human trafficking in the world, and women are an easy target for kidnappings and sexual slavery orchestrated by illegal armed groups.
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