Mexican authorities arrested a suspect in relation to the murder, who is the presumed “material author” of the offence. They used security camera footage, witness testimony and other leads to identify one of the culprits, who is referred to as Edgar “N”. The local police follow a tradition of not providing full names to the public. 

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Father Pérez received threats from various groups after leading a public march against organized crime in Chiapas. International organizations have recognized his devotion to human rights affairs and his fight against drug trafficking and violence. Chiapas State has been turned upside down by cartel rivalry and violence between the Sinaloa and the Jalisco New Generation Cartels.

The state prosecutor’s office released a few details about the heinous crime. Based on their statement, two gunmen fired shots at Father Pérez in his car just after he finished officiating Mass: “Father Marcelo was leaving the … parish after officiating Mass and was heading to Guadalupe Church when two people aboard a motorcycle opened fire.”

According to the Diocese of San Cristóbal de las Casas, Father Pérez had faced a long period of harassment and defamation: “Even knowing that his life was in danger, he lived a profound faith in God and a great love for the people that took him to the ultimate consequences.”

Anna Lee Stangl, Head of Advocacy for Christian Solidarity Worldwide, has emphasized the urgency of a full investigation: “Although an arrest has been made in the case, a thorough investigation is imperative to ensure that all those responsible for Father Pérez Pérez’s death — including those at the very top of transnational organized criminal groups — are held to account. President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and Chiapas State Governor Rutilio Escandón Cadenas must take swift and coordinated steps to eradicate these organized criminal groups spreading terror across the state, and this includes aggressively combatting corruption.”

The Mexican office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights joined their request and called for an “exhaustive” investigation. Deputy representative Jesús Peña Palacios confirmed that Father Pérez had been under preventative measures from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, as his life had been at constant risk since 2015.

Rodrigo Aguilar Martinez, bishop of San Cristobal de las Casas, prompted a “decisive action to restore peace in the country and especially in Chiapas.”

The Mexican Bishops’ Conference denounced the “brutal murder, which not only deprives the community of a dedicated pastor but also silences a prophetic voice that tirelessly fought for peace with truth and justice in the Chiapas region.”

Cardinal Felipe Arizmendi, who ordained Father Pérez, described him as a man “committed to justice and peace among Indigenous peoples. He was very focused on his vocation, very prayerful, and spent a lot of time before the Tabernacle.”

Source: https://www.christiantoday.com