Ascencio, whose diocese includes the parish, said that some days after the church was closed normal activities resumed.
“The pastor did it because the town was desolate: businesses closed, all the schools closed. So, to avoid taking risks, he informed the people [of the closure] on social media and didn’t ring the bells [for the celebration of Mass],” he explained.
The prelate said that clashes between crime gangs “had usually occurred on the edge of the town,” however with the escalation of violence, areas closer to town began to be affected. Videos of armed confrontations in La Ruana circulated on social media.
Michoacán: in the crosshairs of organized crime
In the state of Michoacán, drug trafficking activity goes back decades, with the cultivation of marijuana and poppies, the plant from which heroin is obtained. Important drug trafficking routes cross the region, connecting Jalisco state with Guerrero and Mexico states. Additionally, Puerto Lázaro Cárdenas on the Pacific coast in Michoacán is considered one of the most important ports in Mexico and Latin America.
According to the report “Mexico: Organized Crime and Drug Trafficking Organizations” from the Congressional Research Service of the United States, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and different local criminal organizations are fighting for control in Michoacán.