Mexico Christians Face Rising Attacks After Cartel Retaliation (Worthy News Focus)

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

MEXICO CITY (Worthy News) – Evangelical Christians in parts of Mexico are facing renewed persecution after cartel retaliation erupted following the killing of one of the country’s most notorious drug lords in a U.S.-backed military operation that left dozens of Mexican soldiers dead, Christian advocates say.

Local church leaders and international watchdog groups indicate that believers are increasingly caught in the fallout from escalating violence after the February 22 killing of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, better known as “El Mencho,” leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

“This cartel is considered one of the most powerful and brutal in Mexico,” explained Linda Burkle, a fellow with advocacy group International Christian Concern (ICC), in remarks obtained by Worthy News.

She noted that evangelical Christians are particularly vulnerable because they often refuse to cooperate with criminal groups or participate in rituals and practices they believe contradict Biblical teaching.

Christian leaders warn that believers in cartel-controlled regions often face intimidation or pressure when they refuse to support criminal activities.

CHURCHES CLOSED AMID FEAR

According to Christian contacts in southern Mexico, churches and a government-approved evangelical Christian school in the region around Tehuantepec in Oaxaca state have closed amid spreading violence.

Believers described widespread fear as transportation halted, schools suspended classes, and communities were left largely isolated.

Christian workers added that the closures also threaten vulnerable children who depend on school programs for daily meals and safety.

Some children may also face abuse at home while schools remain closed, according to Christians familiar with the situation.

Advocates say the unrest is worsening an already difficult situation for evangelical believers in several regions.

PASTOR EXPELLED FOR REFUSING RITUAL

In the indigenous region of Alto de Chiapas in southern Mexico, evangelical pastor Mariano Velasquez Martinez was arrested after refusing to pray before an image of Saint James during a local religious festival, according to advocacy group International Christian Concern (ICC).

After spending five days in jail, officials reportedly bound him with a rope and brought him before about 180 men from the community — including his uncle and cousin — before expelling him from the village.

He was forced to sign a document explaining his departure, though he fears it may portray him as leaving voluntarily.

Christian sources indicated that his current whereabouts and well-being remain unclear, while residents have reportedly threatened to demolish his church.

Even before the latest violence, Christians in Mexico faced increasing persecution.

LONG-STANDING PRESSURE

Advocacy group Open Doors ranks Mexico 30th on its World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most severe persecution.

The organization reports that criminal groups, hostile local authorities, and pressure within indigenous communities have contributed to rising attacks against believers.

Christians who refuse to participate in traditional religious festivals — sometimes involving idol worship, drunkenness, or witchcraft — have reportedly faced beatings, arrests, expulsions from villages, and the destruction of churches and homes.

Christian leaders note that pastors are particularly vulnerable because they often speak out against crime and refuse to cooperate with cartel activities.

CARTEL RETALIATION SPREADS VIOLENCE

The unrest followed a major security operation in which Mexican forces, reportedly supported by the United States, killed cartel leader “El Mencho” on February 22.

News reports indicate that at least 37 Mexican soldiers were killed in the operation targeting the CJNG leader.

Following his death, cartel fighters launched a wave of retaliatory violence across Mexico.

Reports indicate the cartel organized more than 250 roadblocks, vehicle burnings, and attacks on gas stations and businesses in at least 20 states, creating widespread disruption and fear.

Schools in at least eight states were forced to suspend classes amid the unrest.

BURKLE VISITED REGION

Burkle emphasized that the crisis is particularly concerning for Christian communities she has personally visited.

In December 2025, she traveled with a small team to minister in and around Tehuantepec in southern Mexico, where her church partners with local congregations and an evangelical Christian school.

She explained that the current violence has forced churches and the school there to close temporarily, further isolating believers already under pressure.

Christian leaders warn that cartel violence, combined with hostility toward evangelical believers in some indigenous communities, has created a dangerous environment for pastors and congregations across parts of Mexico.

Burkle urged believers worldwide to pray for those affected. “We ask Christians around the world to pray for the safety of Mexican civilians and for our brothers and sisters in Christ,” she added.

HISTORICAL ROOTS OF TENSIONS

Church leaders say congregations remain on high alert as violence spreads across parts of the country.

Burkle noted that tensions affecting evangelical Christians have historical roots.

After Mexico gained independence in 1824, Roman Catholicism was recognized as the country’s only official religion, restricting other faiths, she explained.

Although later reforms introduced the separation of church and state and constitutional protections for religious freedom, evangelical Christians in some indigenous communities still face pressure to participate in traditional religious festivals that blend Catholic and pre-Christian practices.

In these areas, believers who refuse to contribute financially or participate in such events reportedly experience discrimination, expulsion from their communities, or the destruction of their homes and churches, according to investigators.

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