Mexico’s Churches Face Cartel Violence as State Control Weakens

Official government and international reports indicate that Mexican cartels have seized direct control of about one third of the country’s territory, while their influence—through extortion, intimidation, and criminal activity—extends into roughly 75% of Mexico.

Cartel violence now affects daily life in both urban and rural areas, with churches, especially evangelical and Catholic communities, increasingly caught in the crossfire.

The state’s inability to maintain order has allowed criminal groups to operate with impunity, threatening not only individuals but also the economic and social stability of entire regions.

In Jalisco, authorities discovered Rancho Izaguirre, a 2.5-acre site used by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) for training and executions. Investigators found mass graves, ashes, and hundreds of personal items, confirming that the site operated as a recruitment and extermination camp.

The Mexican Bishops’ Conference called it one of the cruelest expressions of organized crime. The remains of around 200 people have been recovered, and families continue to search for missing relatives.

Cartels have intensified forced recruitment of minors, especially in Baja California, Guerrero, Michoacán, Guanajuato, and Zacatecas. The Ministry of the Interior and child advocacy groups estimate that over 145,000 minors are at risk.

Criminals lure children with false job offers or threats, using them as lookouts, extortionists, or even hitmen. The state has failed to implement effective protection programs, leaving entire generations vulnerable.

Churches have become both sanctuaries and targets. In 2024, seven young people were killed at a church event in Guanajuato, Mexico’s deadliest state with 2,597 homicides that year.

Cartels also extort church leaders, demanding payments from offerings and threatening violence if they refuse. Pastors and their families face kidnappings, ransom demands, and attacks, often forcing churches to close or reduce services.

In some regions, evangelical communities have suffered physical attacks, property destruction, and forced displacement. The violence disrupts not only religious life but also local economies.

Church leaders who resist cartel demands risk losing their businesses and livelihoods. The absence of state protection erodes trust in institutions and weakens the social fabric, making it harder for communities to recover.

This crisis matters because it signals a breakdown of both security and economic opportunity across large parts of Mexico.

As cartels tighten their grip, businesses, families, and religious groups lose their ability to operate freely and safely. The unchecked advance of organized crime threatens the future stability and prosperity of the country.