ICC NOTE:
For years, the evangelical community in Chiapas has been subject to severe persecution, but reports indicate that persecution has now become a widespread issue. Recent reports show that Christians in Mexico continue to suffer discrimination and persecution from the hands of their neighbors despite pleas made to the Mexican federal government. Furthermore, in the past year, ICC has reported that Chiapas is among one of the worst states with cases of Christian persecution.
04/25/2016 Chiapas, Mexico (Christian Today) – An evangelical community in Mexico is now suffering from lack of potable water after local authorities cut off their supply for refusing to pay their contribution for the holding of a Roman Catholic fiesta in honor of a Catholic saint.
The family of Maranatha Church’s pastor Octavio Gomez and four other evangelical families in San Jose village in the city of Teopisca in Chiapas state, Mexico refused to pay when the authorities, together with the fiesta organisers, came to visit them early this month demanding a fixed contribution of 200 pesos, equivalent to about $12, the Evangelical Focus reports.
The authorities threatened to cut off their water supply if they persisted in not paying the amount. Moreover, the authorities warned that they would have to pay a fine of 4,000 pesos ($229) to have the water line reconnected once it’s been cut.
But no amount of threat could sway the evangelical families. The authorities thus promptly disconnected their water supply.
Around 80 other Christian families in the neighbourhood paid the amount demanded to avoid water service interruption.
The evangelicals in the area have notified state and federal officials of the compulsory contribution demanded by local authorities to help fund a Catholic celebration and their other illegal actions.
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In June 2015, International Christian Concern (ICC) reported more than 70 open cases of religious persecution against minority Christian communities, each involving between 20-100 victims, in Mexico.
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