An indigenous Catholic priest was shot dead by two gunmen after holding a church service on Sunday, according to DW. Indigenous Catholic priest shot dead by two gunmen in Mexico
Marcelo Perez, who was both a prominent indigenous rights activist and a Catholic priest, was killed by two gunmen after holding church services on Sunday.
People carry behind the coffin of Catholic priest Marcelo Perez after he was shot dead in San Cristobal de Las Casas
People carry behind him the coffin of Catholic priest Marcelo Perez after he was shot dead in San Cristobal de Las
Two gunmen in southern Mexico have shot dead a Catholic priest who was also an activist for indigenous peoples and farm workers, amid an uptick in violence in the southern Chiapas region.
Marcelo Perez was killed in the city of San Cristobal de las Casas, in the state of Chiapas, as he was returning to his home church after celebrating mass.
State prosecutors say the religious leader was shot in his car by two men on a motorcycle. Who was Marcelo Perez? Perez belongs to the Maya Tzotzil indigenous group.
He served the community for nearly 20 years and was known as a conflict negotiator in Chiapas, a region plagued by crime, violence and land disputes.
“Father Marcelo was a symbol of resistance and supported the communities of Chiapas for decades, defending the dignity and rights of people and working for true peace,” the Jesuits, Perez’s religious order, said in a press release.
