The Mexican government expressed profound disagreement with Pope Francis' statement in a private letter to an Argentine lawmaker expressing his concern over the “Mexicanization” of Argentina and said it would send the Vatican a letter condemning the pope’s letter.
The Argentine government downplayed the pope's statement on Tuesday saying that it was “not intended at hurting” Mexico, while Chief of Staff Jorge Capitanich said he considered that Pope Francis' mention of “Mexicanization” was not relevant.
“This is not an issue we need to evaluate because it refers to a sovereign State with which I do not want to interfere. And I don't believe the Pope was intending to hurt anybody. I don't believe that,” said the head of Argentina's Presidential office, Anibal Fernandez.
The Mexican government summoned the Vatican's representative in Mexico, Christophe Pierre, to explain the pope's statements. However, no details of the meeting were immediately made public.
“We are in fact saddened and worried with the public communiques regarding Pope Francis' private letter. We have had a meeting with the Vatican's press officer in Mexico (Christophe Pierre) and we will send a (diplomatic) letter,” said Mexican Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Meade.
He also boasted Mexico's alleged efforts against drug trafficking, a statement that comes at a time when according to Mexican newspaper Reforma, violence linked to organized crime has expanded to 66 municipalities of 18 states, including Mexico City, with a death toll of over 173 people executed.
The pope sent a letter to Argentine lawmaker Gustavo Vera telling him he was concerned with the increase in violence and drug trafficking in the South American country and expressed hopes that the government was doing something to “avoid the Mexicanization” of Argentina.
The head of the Catholic Church also told Vera he had been in touch with Mexican bishops, who told him the situation in Mexico was terrible.
The Pope May Be Right
Mexican author and journalist Javier Valdez, who has focused his work on organized crime and drug trafficking, told teleSUR that drug trafficking and violence in the country have increased since President Enrique Peña Nieto took office in December 2012.
“In fact, when crime does happen to decrease in this country, it is because the drug cartels have decided on it, but not because the Mexican government has done anything effective to control it,” said Valdez.
A gunman in Michoacan, Mexico, lies dead after a shootout with security forces. Michoacan is where the militarized crackdown on the cartels began six years ago. (Photo: Reuters)
Not the First Time
The pope has expressed his concerned about violence and drugs in Mexico on various occasions.
In May of last year, he told Mexican bishops he was highly concerned due to the violence, drug trafficking, crime and poverty in the Latin American country.
He said he was particularly worried that small-scale farmers in Mexico say that “when we grow corn, we can expect to live a month, but when we harvest amapola, we can live a year.”
Earlier this year, the pope said he had plans to exert pressure on the Mexican government to fight the extended violence in Mexico, and more specifically, against Catholic priest, according to Mexican newspaper La Verdad (The Truth). Over eight Catholic priests have been murdered in Mexico over the past two years.