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Tensions Grow Between Archbishop and Mayor of Mexico City

By Howard M. Friedman

BBC News yesterday reported that in Mexico the tension between the Catholic Church and the mayor of Mexico City has gotten rather ugly as the Archbishop of Guadalajara, Juan Sandoval Iniguez, accused the mayor of bribery.  Reacting to a Mexico Supreme Court ruling earlier this month upholding legislation in Mexico City granting various rights, including adoption rights, to same-sex couples (AP), the Archbishop remarked at a recent news conference: "Would any of you want to be adopted by a couple of lesbians or queers." He then accused Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard of bribing Supreme Court justices to rule the way they did.  In response, the mayor has filed a defamation suit against the Archbishop, and the Supreme Court has issued an unusual condemnation of the Archbishop's allegations. A Church spokesman has urged Catholics to vote against the mayor's PRD party at the next election. Mexico's Constitution, Sec. 130, bars clergy from attacking political candidates or parties or publicly attacking the country's laws. A spokesman for the Mexico City Archdiocese argues that Sec. 130 should be changed because it now infringes the freedom of expression of Church leaders.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on August 29, 2010 (boomark / email).