ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 3, 2023 / 18:50 pm
Cristóbal Ascencio García, the bishop of Apatzingán, located in one of the regions most affected by violence in the Mexican state of Michoacán, called for an “intense” day of fasting and prayer on Oct. 5 for peace in the country.
In a Sept. 30 statement posted on Facebook, Ascencio encouraged dedicating that day of prayer to “begging the Lord for the conversion of all for peace in justice.”
Apatzingán, a city located about 115 miles southwest of Morelia, the capital of the state of Michoacán, is one of the hardest hit by drug trafficking violence in the region, whose control is disputed by groups such as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the Family Michoacana, and the Knights Templar.
Of the 50 most violent cities in the world in 2022, ranked by the Mexican organization Citizen Council for Public Safety and Criminal Justice, 17 are in Mexico. Nine are in the top 10. Thirty of the 50 cities are in Latin America or the Caribbean.