Bishop Patino Becomes Unlikely Anti-Crime Crusader in Michoacan Dudley Althaus - GlobalPost
go to original November 14, 2013

Earlier this month, members of the Federal Police defused an alleged plan by the 'Knights Templar' to assassinate Apatzingán bishop, Miguel Patino after receiving information via satellite that 'Knights Templar' planned an attempt on the bishop's life. (Borderland Beat)

APATZINGAN, Mexico — After decades of watching varied gangsters and government officials prey upon his faithful, this farming city’s Roman Catholic prelate finally has had enough.

“Michoacan has all the characteristics of a failed state,” declared Apatzingan Bishop Miguel Patino, describing his western Mexican home state that’s become the fiefdom of the homicidal Knights Templar gang.

The Knights Templar and other gangs vie for control of Michoacan “as if it were a pirate’s bounty,” while “municipal officials and police are either subjugated by or in collusion with the criminals,” the 75-year-old bishop wrote in a recent missive.

Mexico’s top clergy long have lamented the “culture of death” that abets the violence wracking their country. But, because of fear or favor, they’ve rarely confronted the perpetrators head on.

Now a small but growing number of bishops like Patino has proven willing to name the tormentors, and even to call out officials aiding the thugs.

Read the rest at GlobalPost

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