Activist Priest Marcelo Pérez Killed in Chiapas, Mexico; Community Mourns
Hundreds gathered on Monday to mourn Catholic priest Marcelo Pérez, an activist for Indigenous peoples and farm laborers who was killed in the southern Mexico state of Chiapas. The Chiapas public prosecutor’s office reported on Tuesday that it had arrested the suspected killer.
This tragic incident has brought attention to an ongoing crisis in Chiapas, a state where drug cartels have caused thousands to flee their homes.
Mourners came together in San Andrés Larrainzar, near the city of San Cristobal de las Casas, where Pérez was killed on Sunday. A Mass honoring him was held in both Spanish and Tzotzil, the Indigenous language he spoke.
Pérez, 50, was well-known as a peace activist in the violence-torn region. Despite facing numerous threats, he continued his work, while human rights advocates argued that the government failed to provide him with the protection he needed.
“For 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,” stated the Fray Bartolomé de las Casas human rights center.
According to the state prosecutors’ office, Rev. Pérez was shot dead by two gunmen while in his van just after officiating Mass. Eyewitness accounts reported that he was leaving the parish and heading to Guadalupe Church when assailants on a motorcycle opened fire.
While no immediate information on the killers is available, President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that “investigations are being carried out.” Rev. Pérez’s peace efforts may have angered local drug cartels vying for control of the area, a region notorious for drug and migrant smuggling.
“Father Marcelo Pérez was the subject of constant threats and aggressions on the part of organized crime groups,” according to the rights center. His killing occurred amid a serious escalation of violence across Chiapas.
“A Reflection of the Whole Country”
For the past two years, the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels have engaged in violent turf wars, forcing residents to take sides and causing many to flee to Guatemala seeking safety.
“They should look for an intelligent way to disarm those groups,” said Cardinal Felipe Arizmendi, who once served as bishop of the area. “They shouldn’t wait for people to file complaints because their lives are at risk.”
Alongside persistent drug violence in Sinaloa and the tragic killing of six migrants earlier this month, Pérez’s murder raises further concerns about government efficacy in addressing cartel violence.
Sheinbaum, who took office on October 1, has indicated she will continue her predecessor’s non-confrontational stance towards cartels—a strategy that has not curbed violence effectively.
“This is a reflection of the whole country,” Cardinal Arizmendi commented after the Mass for Pérez. “They shouldn’t say everything is fine in Mexico. This strategy has not worked.”
Serving the community for two decades, Pérez was known as a negotiator in conflicts within a mountainous region where crime is rampant. His commitment to peace led to numerous death threats, and unfortunately, he became the seventh human rights activist killed in Mexico in 2024, as stated by the U.N. Human Rights Office.
The loss of Marcelo Pérez is a tragic reminder of the risks faced by those advocating for peace and human rights in regions plagued by violence. We invite readers to share their thoughts on how the government can better protect activists and address cartel violence in the comments below.