Mexico’s rampant drug violence spilled over into the evangelical community in April when a pastor was kidnapped during Sunday morning worship. Four masked men burst into the El Shaddai Christian Center in Lázaro Cárdenas on the morning of April 10 and opened fire with automatic weapons. They then kidnapped the pastor, Josué Ramírez Santiago, in front of 500 helpless worshipers. The kidnappers are thought to be drug traffickers who are active in the Michoacán area.

The following day, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of 20 million pesos, or $1.8 million, from the pastor’s family. Even if the family could pay the enormous sum, it would not necessarily guarantee the pastor’s safety.

Arturo Farela, director of the National Fraternity of Evangelical Churches, told Compass Direct News that organized crime syndicates and drug cartels have targeted Christians because they view churches as revenue centers and because churches support programs for the rehabilitation of drug addicts and alcoholics.

Farela said more than 100 pastors have been kidnapped and 15 murdered in recent years. “Furthermore,” he said, “some 100 Mexican or foreign pastors who lived in Ciudad Juarez have had to abandon the city because of the threats and demands for money. And of course many pastors and their families have been victims of extortion, threats, kidnapping and homicide.” Compass Direct was unable to verify the number of kidnapped and murdered pastors.

Source: Compass Direct News