Catholic Church leaders in Mexico call for protection of people from cartel violence near Guatemala

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Catholic Church leaders in southern Mexico have made a desperate plea for the Mexican government to protect communities from drug cartels that extract protection payments and use locals as human shields near the border with Guatemala. The letter dated Wednesday was signed by Bishop Emeritus Jaime Calderón of the Tapachula Diocese, which includes parishes near the border with Guatemala, where nearly 600 people fled earlier this week. On Wednesday, Guatemala President Bernardo Arévalo said that his administration was coordinating with the local governments near the Mexican border to attend to the Mexicans “who are escaping conflict between groups that is taking place on the Mexican side.” A Guatemalan government report obtained by The Associated Press described accounts from the refugees who explained they had abandoned their homes because of a lack of food and fighting between organized crime groups. The diocese's letter says that communities long mired in poverty and ignored by the government must now also suffer being “hostages in their communities, paying extortion to the corresponding cartel based on where they live, being forced to take shifts at roadblocks that impede free transit.” Residents have to use what little money they have to pay for scarce items at elevated prices because the shopkeepers also are being extorted.