Population
100,350,000
90% Mestizo
80% Amerindian
2% White/European
Capital City
Mexico City
Leadership
Head of State
Vincente Fox Quesada
Religion
90% Roman Catholic
6% Protestant
Mexican
Ambassador
to the U.S.
Ambassador Carlos de Icaza
Embassy of Mexico
1911 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW
Washington DC 20006 Phone: (202) 728-1600
Fax: (202) 728-1698
Email:
mexembusa@sre.gob.mx
Web:
embassyofmexico.org
BIO
Mexico is located in North America, bor-dered by the United States, the Gulf of Mexico, the
Caribbean Sea, Belize, Guatemala, and the Pacific
Ocean. The majority of the population is at least nominally
Roman Catholic. About 90% of Mexicans are mestizos,
of mixed European and Native American ancestry. Many
of the rural residents are descendants of the Mayan,
Aztec and Toltecs. The result is a culture that emphasizes
strong traditional values with slight variations according
to region.
The Roman Catholic Church has always held a sig-
nificant place in Mexican culture since its introduction by
the Spanish conquistadors. Church officials did not permit
the practice of any other religion, including Protestantism
or Judaism. However, although the majority of the
population seemed to be converted to Roman Cath-
olicism, many local priests and bishops tolerated the
combination of indigenous religious practices with the rites
of Catholicism. This resulted in the hybrid form of
Catholicism that is widely practiced in Mexico today,
significantly different from European Catholicism.
In recent years Protestant denominations have become
increasingly important particularly in rural regions and
among indigenous communities. Most of the growth
among Protestants has occurred in the evangelical sector.
In 1997 Protestants accounted for approximately 5 per-
cent of the population.
Constitutional reform in 1992 allowed for significant
changes in the position and the rights of religious groups
in Mexico. Until 1992, clergy were not allowed to vote.
The new Constitution gave them this right. Religious
groups are now allowed to participate in education.
Churches are also now allowed to own property, though
ownership is limited to goods necessary to the objective
of ecclesiastic activities. The ambiguity of this code allows
it to be widely open to subjectivity. Churches are also
granted a legal personality with guaranteed rights,
however, they are not allowed to hold any sort of political
meeting or run media broadcasts. Though the Con-
situation does provide some protection of religious liberty,
it is severely lacking—namely in the areas of the limitation
on public worship, clergy rights, and media restriction.
Can you recommend some
other Mexico websites?
Christians in the states of Oaxaca, Guerrero and Chiapas have been subject to harassment by their
community and officials. The persecution ranges from difficulty in everyday life, to illegal imprisonment,
destruction of buildings and physical threats.
July 1, 1999, Chiapas, Reports that in some villages caciques are producing documents which state that
“no one in this village will change their religion,” coercing villagers to sign them, and then using them as
“legal” grounds to expel any Protestants.
June 28, 1999, Chiapas, Meeting held between Protestant representatives and state government officials
regarding the persecution of Protestants by caciques. Protestants seek reconciliation in contrast to
previous attempts at legal retribution.
June 15, 1999, Chiapas, Thirteen evangelicals were arrested and released.
June 3,1999, El Paraiso, Chiapas, Five people: three Pentecostals and two Roman Catholics were
detained in the village of Bautista Chico by other residents because they had refused to dismantle their
church and hermitage. They were held by the judicial Police on the false charge of attempted murder.
They were finally released at 20:30 the same day when it was finally admitted they had committed no
crime.
Evangelical Christians in Chiapas have borne the brunt of much of the lawlessness there. They are
frequently expelled from their homes and villages because they refuse to drink alcohol or to participate in
local syncretistic festivities where large amounts of alcohol are consumed. The powerful local leaders, or
caciques, who control the alcohol industry fear a considerable decrease of their earnings and see these
Christians as threat to their power. The village authorities often expel the Protestants or threaten them
with arrest or other abuse. Catholic Christians or authorities who speak out against the expulsions have
also been driven away.
“The general repression in Chiapas hits also many Catholic Christians. The main cause for this re-
pression lies in the fact that power is held mainly by the caciques and the big landowners and the local
wine and alcohol dealers. The persecution of the Protestant Christians can also be brought in connection
with this fact: For religious reasons they refuse to drink alcohol. The liquor dealers are afraid of a loss of
sales of their goods. Therefore they arrange the expulsion of the Christians.”
As described by Mr. B. Ruiz
The expelled villagers, mostly subsistence farmers, have to leave behind their entire harvest and all their
breeding cattle in their villages. Under threat of death, they are hindered from returning to their homes -
not even to gather their harvests. Guards are often posted in front of their former houses to prevent their
return. From that point on the expelled families are often forced to earn their living as street vendors.
Many of the village authorities still refuse to admit that there have been expulsions. Even a leading
representative of the regional parliament declared that, “If such expulsions had taken place they would
not have to be considered as crimes anyways.” The government’s approach may change now that an
evangelical Christian, Pablo Salazar, has been elected governor of Chiapas.
Overall human rights situation
The constitutional protection of religious liberty is generally respected in the north, central and urban
areas of Mexico, however, in the rural areas, the caciques have enormous influence on the application
of laws. Amnesty International reports that the situation has deteriorated significantly and arbitrary
detentions, torture, extra-judicial killings and disappearances have become widespread. The govern-
ment in many cases seems unwilling or unable to enforce the rule of law. Indeed, human rights monitors
are under constant threat of death and peaceful peasant demonstrations in support of much-needed land
reform are often broken up by force. Mexican police and security forces frequently target their political
opponents, as well as human rights activists, for arbitrary arrest, torture and execution.