Arrr, a holy bishop be snatch'd by scurvy knaves while tryin' to parley with them cartel scoundrels.
2024-04-29
Arrr mateys! The Mexican Council of Bishops be tellin' us that a retired Roman Catholic bishop, who dared to parley with the scurvy drug cartels, was taken by the scoundrels but found and brought to a ship's surgeon. May the seas protect him from further misadventure!
In a jolly tone fit for a 17th-century pirate tale, news of a retired Roman Catholic bishop who once mediated between drug cartels in Mexico being kidnapped and later found in a hospital was shared by the Mexican Council of Bishops. The bishop, Msgr. Salvador Rangel, disappeared on Saturday, prompting the church leadership to issue a plea for his release. It was later revealed that he had been located and was receiving medical care, though the details of his rescue remained a mystery. Rangel, known for his efforts to broker peace among warring cartels in the violent diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa, was reportedly taken captive in Morelos state, near Guerrero. The precarious situation of church officials in cartel-dominated areas was highlighted, as the bishops urged his captors to show compassion by allowing him his medications. The crime, if carried out, would have been the most sensational against a senior church figure since 1993. Despite the risks, bishops and priests continue to engage in peace negotiations with cartels, demonstrating the government's failure to provide security.President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has expressed support for such talks, acknowledging the role of religious figures in pacifying the country. Critics argue that these negotiations underscore the government's inability to confront cartels effectively, leaving citizens to navigate their own truces with criminal organizations. The complexity of these interactions was exemplified by failed attempts to broker peace agreements in regions plagued by turf wars and violence. Despite the challenges and dangers, the church plays a vital role in advocating for peace and engaging with cartels to address concerns like missing persons. The priestly efforts for truces, while noble, are recognized as delicate and temporary measures in the volatile world of drug traffickers. The risks faced by priests in Mexico were underscored by the tragic killing of a Catholic priest in Michoacan in 2023, reflecting the ongoing threats to religious figures in the country.