Mexican bishop who negotiated with drug traffickers found with signs of violence; he was missing for two days

Since Salvador Rangel Mendoza He was appointed bishop in the state of Guerrero, his goal was to achieve the peace that had been lost for years due to the presence of organized crime.

These efforts led him to something that not even the authorities had been able to achieve: a dialogue with the cartels that operate in the area to negotiate a stop to violence in municipalities such as Chilpancingo and Chilapa.

However, not even a high representative of the Church is safe from the crime that prevails in the state, and proof of this is his recent disappearance for around 48 hoursa period in which he was apparently kidnapped.

According to the Conference of the Mexican Episcopate, Rangel Mendoza disappeared since last Saturday when it was learned that he left the state of Morelos for Guerrero, but he no longer reached his destination.

It was not until this Monday when the location of the bishop in a hospital in Morelos was announced. with signs of violence and even having been druggedaccording to the newspaper Reforma.

The 78-year-old religious man was allegedly kidnapped near his home located in the municipality of Jiutepec, and appeared until Monday afternoon when he entered the hospital as an unknown person.

According to the official report, Rangel was found in an unidentified hotel and taken by paramedics to be treated.

Toxicological test was positive

A source close to Rangel Mendoza who went to the hospital revealed to Reforma that the Catholic representative had bruises on his body and was babbling. “He looked high,” he commented.

This version coincides with the medical report received by the Morelos prosecutor, Uriel Carmona, which specifies that The toxicological test carried out was positive for drugs..

“He is stable with the residual effects of what he may have ingested. The anti-doping test came back positive for benzodiazepine and is suggesting cocaine,” the responsible doctor explained to the Prosecutor.

“What we are corroborating is that They deprived him of his freedom to steal money, from an ATM, using your debit card; “He was not in a position to testify, he was in medical care,” Carmona told Reforma.

Who is Salvador Rangel Mendoza

Controversial in his statements since his arrival in Guerrero, Rangel Mendoza called himself a peacemaker, and acknowledged that he met with leaders of criminal groups in the entity to seek peace in the conflict zones.

One of his most remembered interventions is the negotiation that was achieved between “Los Tlacos” and “Los Ardillos” to achieve a truce that, since the end of last February, allowed the confrontations that had paralyzed the entity’s transportation and educational sector to cease.

In an interview with Milenio TV, the bishop confirmed that peace had been agreed upon Celso Ortega Jimenezleader of “Los Ardillos”, with an envoy from Onesimo Marquinaalias “El Necho”, whom he referred to as Trini, supposed plaza boss of “Los Tlacos”.

But his statements also gave something to talk about, since in other interviews he even referred to “Los Ardillos” as “good drug traffickers,” arguing that they maintain peace in their territories.

Keep reading:
– Bishops of Guerrero met with drug traffickers to agree on a truce and failed in their attempt.
– “I see it very well”: López Obrador supported a meeting between bishops and drug traffickers to agree on a truce.