“Priests, pastors, members of all churches always participate, help in the pacification of the country. I see it very well, I believe that we all have to contribute to achieving peace,” said the leftist president when questioned by the press regarding the attempts in Guerrero.
José de Jesús González, bishop of the diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa, revealed on Wednesday that together with three other prelates he proposed a truce to criminal leaders in Guerrero to stop the violence, which has experienced new peaks in recent weeks.
But the proposal was rejected by the criminals, the Mexican press reported, citing González.
“Those who help with pacification are doing a good job, those who work to combat the scourge of violence,” added López Obrador in his usual press conference, this time from Acapulco, the most important city in the state.
The president noted, however, “that the responsibility of guaranteeing peace and tranquility belongs to the State.” “That should be very clear,” he warned.
Under the slogan of “hugs, not bullets,” López Obrador defends an approach that seeks to reduce poverty and other structural causes of crime that hits Mexico, although at the same time he rejects the possibility of formally negotiating with criminals.
This policy has cost him strong criticism from opponents in Mexico and even in the United States, who denounce the alleged inertia of his government once morest drug trafficking cartels.
López Obrador’s position also occurs when a representative of his party, the mayor of Chilpancingo, Norma Hernández, is accused of collusion with organized crime, following videos and photographs were released in the middle of last year where she is seen meeting with an alleged criminal leader of the region.
Guerrero is one of the poorest states in the country and is used by drug traffickers to grow marijuana and poppies.
The spiral of criminal violence that engulfs Mexico has left more than 400,000 dead since the then president Felipe Calderón (2006-2012) declared war on the cartels at the end of 2006.
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