Pope Francis tells young Mexicans Jesus doesn't want them to join cartels
Gang violence has ravaged Mexico over the past decade.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Pope Francis has taken a shot at the cartels during his visit to Mexico, warning youth to stay away from the gangs, because that's what Jesus would do.
"Jesus would never ask us to be hit men," Pope Francis said, according to Reuters. "He would never send us out to death."
Cartel violence has been omnipresent in Mexico over the past several years, especially in the western states, where the drug trade has catapulted cartels to become the de facto leaders of some regions. Frontline reported last year that more than 150,000 civilians have been killed in cartel violence.
"It is a lie to believe that the only way to live, or to be young, is to entrust oneself to drug dealers or others who do nothing but sow destruction and death," the pope said at a rally in Michoacan, one of the states hit hardest by drug violence.
The pop didn't stop at imploring youth to ignore the allure of the cartels, he also hit out at the Mexican government for failing to give youth better options.
"It is hard to feel the wealth of a nation where there are no opportunities for dignified work, no possibilities for study or advancement, when you feel your rights are being trampled on, which leads you to extreme situations," he said.
Follow @PaytonGuion on Twitter.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments