Thousands of Mayan Indigenous people in Guatemala protested this Saturday against the construction of a prayer center for Santa Muerte, allegedly funded by gang members imprisoned in a local jail. Carrying banners with the phrase “No to death, yes to life,” the protesters traveled by foot, motorcycles, and vehicles along asphalt and dirt roads to reach a place called Llano Urbina, located in the municipality of Cantel, about 200 km west of the capital.
Community leaders, evangelical pastors, and the community council of Aldea Pasac Primero, who called for the protest a week ago, claim that a chapel dedicated to the deity known as Our Lady of Santa Muerte is planned to operate there. This is part of a new religious movement that has gained popularity in Mexico and Guatemala. Santa Muerte is mainly venerated by gang members and organized crime affiliates, but it is not recognized by the Catholic Church.
According to organizers, the building is being constructed by gang members serving sentences at the Cantel Model Rehabilitation Farm and is set to be inaugurated on October 31. “As a Christian community, we believe in life, and we have been praying for many days, but today we have come to this point to publicly declare that we do not agree with death; we agree with life,” evangelical pastor Gabino told reporters.
However, municipal authorities deny having granted any permit or license to build the chapel. Guatemala’s Constitution establishes that the country is secular and guarantees freedom of worship, as every person has the right to practice their religion or belief publicly or privately.
Nevertheless, there is strong opposition in the country to establishing churches that are contrary to Christianity.
