Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Catholic priest murdered in Tamaulipas is the first this year

A 55-year-old Tamaulipas priest was murdered on Thursday night in Matamoros.

José Martín Guzmán Vega was attacked as he was returning to his church from a shopping trip. After hearing the priest’s cries for help, neighbors found him lying on the floor of the church, bleeding from multiple stab wounds.

He died later in hospital.

Eugenio Lira Rugarcía, bishop of the diocese of Matamoros, confirmed Guzmán’s death.

A motive for the crime was not immediately apparent.

Guzmán is the first Catholic priest to be murdered in Mexico this year. According to the Catholic Multimedia Center, 26 priests have been killed since 2012.

On August 3, Presbyterian minister Aarón Méndez Ruiz, director of the migrant shelter Casa del Migrante AMAR, was kidnapped in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, and has not been seen since.

Méndez was targeted because he had refused to hand over Cuban migrants to members of organized crime, a colleague at the shelter said.

Source: El Financiero (sp), Associated Press (sp)

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
Fonatur glorieta in Los Cabos

MND Local: Major infrastructure projects reflect growing pains in Los Cabos

0
New airport facilities and new highways are on the way in Los Cabos, as our local news roundup takes a look at what's happening in Baja California Sur.
mural honoring Alicia Matías

A mural at explosion site in CDMX honors Alicia Matías, who died saving her granddaughter

1
The 49-year-old heroine's death has been met with an outpouring of admiration while the nation mourns the 15 victims of last week's gas tanker explosion.
Sheinbaum waving the Mexican flag from the National Palace during the annual Grito de Independencia

In first ‘Grito’ as president, Sheinbaum honors Mexico’s heroines of Independence

11
Josefa Ortiz Téllez Girón, Leona Vicario, Gertrudis Bocanegra and Manuela Molina were all included in Sheinbaum's first presidential Grito, or Cry of Independence.
BETA Version - Powered by Perplexity