A new report warns that religious freedom violations in Mexico are being driven by both organized criminal groups and indigenous authorities operating under traditional local governance systems.
The study, “Protection on Paper: The Situation of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Mexico,” released by Christian Solidarity Worldwide, found that religious freedom violations often originate in cartel-controlled regions and indigenous communities governed under “uses and customs,” where local authorities frequently require residents to participate in communal religious celebrations and financially support majority-faith activities, most commonly those associated with Roman Catholic traditions.
Individuals who decline to participate may face severe consequences. Documented penalties include the denial of essential civil rights, restrictions on employment opportunities, exclusion from voting, loss of access to public utilities, arbitrary imprisonment, physical attacks and, in some cases, forced expulsion from their communities.
According to CSW, more than 130 significant cases involving violations of religious freedom have been recorded in recent years. Government officials in Oaxaca State alone have formally acknowledged over 60 such incidents during the last three years.
The report also highlights the growing influence of criminal organizations, which frequently impose movement restrictions and curfews in areas under their control. These measures often prevent churches from gathering freely and limit religious activity.
Clergy and faith leaders who speak out against violence or criminal activity are commonly subjected to threats, attacks, enforced disappearances and even murder.
Concerns about broader human rights conditions in Mexico have also attracted international attention. In September 2025, the United Nations Human Rights Council warned that widespread impunity and the erosion of legal institutions had contributed to making Mexico one of the most dangerous countries in Latin America for human rights advocacy.
Researchers interviewed for the report said attacks targeting religious leaders are often investigated inadequately. Authorities frequently categorize such crimes as ordinary criminal offenses rather than examining whether religious motives or targeted persecution may have played a role.
Data cited from the Catholic Multimedia Centre indicate that between 1990 and 2025, violence claimed the lives of one cardinal, 62 priests, one deacon, four church employees, 23 lay Catholics and a Roman Catholic journalist. During the same period, two priests were reported as forcibly disappeared.
Government research has also documented broader patterns of discrimination. A national survey commissioned in 2022 found that more than 3 million members of religious minority groups experience some level of discriminatory treatment.
Further concerns were raised by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, an autonomous institution of the Organization of American States. In a recent assessment, the commission reported that disappearances in Mexico have risen by more than 200% over the past decade.
Religious persecution watchdog Global Christian Relief reported that Mexico recorded the highest number of verified attacks and abductions involving Christians worldwide between late 2023 and 2025. The organization documented 376 incidents during that period.
According to Global Christian Relief, pastors and Christian outreach workers are often singled out by drug cartels because ministry efforts aimed at combating drug abuse and mentoring young people are viewed as challenges to criminal authority and recruitment.
