Mexico City, Mexico, Feb 17, 2004 / 22:00 pm
The new Archbishop of Antequera-Oaxaca, José Luis Chávez Botello, has denounced the rapid spread of Central American gangs in southern Mexico, and called attention to the “lack of resources and capability” of the local governments to combat them.
“Sometimes not even the state has the capability and we should be honest, not because they don’t want to, but because they do not have the resources, or because they see our laws and sometimes it is outside their competence,” explained the bishop, adding that the gangs are examples of organized crime and that therefore it is necessary y that all three levels of government—federal, state and local—take coordinated action against them.
“The reason these gangs engage in violence is not because of injustice, it’s now something else. It’s now organized crime, and therefore the response has to be different,” the bishop added.
Therefore, he continued, “the rapid and articulated presence of local, state and federal governments is urgently needed to be aware of these outbreaks and not allow them to create serious problems.”