Christians in San Isidro Arenal, a village in Oaxaca state, are facing potential expulsion following a series of violent incidents against them by local tribal leaders. Earlier this month, the community experienced significant turmoil when their church and property were destroyed, prompting a severe response from regional authorities and residents.
On August 20, Jesús Romero López, Secretary of Government for Oaxaca state, announced at a press conference that local leaders in San Isidro Arenal have declared their intention to expel Protestant Christians from the village. This decision follows the recent vandalism and destruction of evangelical properties by tribal Catholics.
According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), the destruction began on August 6, when over 300 village Catholics looted and razed the homes, cacao, and mango fields belonging to the Protestant community in Cerro Cajón. The violence continued on August 21, while several Protestant leaders were meeting with state officials. At that time, local tribal Catholics further attacked and vandalized evangelical properties.
CSW reported that during these attacks, three women, including 83-year-old paraplegic Maximina Contreras Antonio and mother-daughter duo Esmeralda Antonio and Cristina Hernández, were abducted. Their phones were confiscated before they were forcibly transported and later abandoned far from their homes.
Efforts by Protestant leaders to address the situation have faced considerable obstacles. On August 16, pastors Moisés Sarmiento Alavés and Esdrás Ojeda Jiménez, along with two other men, visited the village to attend a meeting with Oaxaca state prosecutors and deliver aid to affected families. However, they were ambushed by a mob, stripped, beaten, and detained for over six hours. They were coerced into signing a document they had no chance to review.
Despite the presence of a state prosecutor’s office representative, no action was taken against the aggressors, and the four men were eventually freed by police later the same day. Meanwhile, the community has been further isolated, with local Catholic leaders blocking access to San Isidro Arenal and targeting rights advocates.
Lucía Antonio, a non-evangelical supporter of the Christians’ right to religious freedom, received an eviction ultimatum on August 18. Roman Catholic Archbishop Pedro Vásquez Villalobos had previously condemned the attacks in a sermon on August 11, highlighting the growing tensions in the region.
The plight of the Protestants has been exacerbated by the recent decision to impose a daily grazing fee of 1,000 pesos (about $50 USD) for their livestock, a condition set by local authorities for the return of their animals.
The roots of the conflict trace back to November 2023 when local leaders began enforcing a 1993 community agreement that restricts religious practice to Roman Catholicism alone. This led to escalating threats and violence against the 13 Protestant families of the Interdenominational Christian Church (ICIAR), culminating in forced expulsions and property damage.
The misuse of the Mexican constitutional “Uses and Customs” provision, intended to protect indigenous cultural traditions, has been cited as a justification for these actions. While the Mexican constitution guarantees Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB), enforcement in indigenous communities often falls short, leading to frequent violations.
Oaxaca state Secretary López has indicated ongoing discussions to resolve the conflict between San Isidro Arenal leaders and local Christians. On August 22, the Ombudsman’s Office of the People of Oaxaca called for action from state and municipal officials to safeguard the human rights of the Protestant community. They documented the severe human rights abuses, including the deprivation of freedom and destruction of property, under the guise of traditional customs.
In another related incident in Oaxaca state, a married couple, Tito Mariano Méndez and Esther Abigail Pérez Ramírez, were arbitrarily detained from July 20-23 in Montenegro village after submitting a complaint regarding FoRB violations to the Oaxaca State Ombudsman’s Office.
The situation in San Isidro Arenal underscores the broader challenges faced by religious minorities in Mexico, where local customs can sometimes override constitutional protections for religious freedom.