Three Christians Jailed in Southern Mexico Are Released

Villagers upset they declined to contribute to indigenous festival.

OAXACA DE JUAREZ, Mexico (Morning Star News) – Three Christians in southern Mexico jailed on Monday (Jan. 3) were released Thursday afternoon (Jan. 6), according to news reports. In the village of San Pedro Chimaltepec, near San Juan Mazatlan Mixe in eastern Oaxaca state, local authorities had jailed Bonifacio Martínez Sánchez, Donato Martínez Sánchez and Gerino […]

Legacy of a Hard-Working Fighter for Religious Freedom

Ruth Montaño toiled in the trenches for silenced voices in Bolivia.

COCHABAMBA, Bolivia (Morning Star News) – Until her death last month at the age of 63, Bolivian attorney Ruth Montaño had done perhaps more than any living person to advance the rights of religious minorities in her Andean homeland. A specialist in constitutional law and permanent legal counsel to the National Association of Evangelicals of Bolivia […]

Church Building in Cuba Demolished, Re-Openings Blocked

Government harasses those opposed to social policies, Christian leaders say.

(Morning Star News) – Authorities in Cuba have demolished a church building and are blocking other churches from re-opening after the lifting of pandemic restrictions, sources said. Having demolished an Assemblies of God building in the Abel Santa Maria area outside Santiago de Cuba on the southeastern part of the island, officials are blocking church […]

Intelligence Officers in Cuba Ratchet Up Harassment of Christian Journalist

Officials increase threats in interrogations of Yoe Suárez.

MIAMI (Morning Star News) – Intelligence officials in Cuba have increased harassment of an independent journalist, summoning the Christian and his mother twice in the past two weeks to threaten harsh consequences if he continues reporting on human rights issues, sources said. As part of his Christian calling, Yoe Suárez has reported for non-state media […]

Christian Pastoral Couple in Cuba Imprisoned for Homeschooling Children

Daughter bullied for being Christian at state-run school.

MIAMI (Morning Star News) – Husband-and-wife pastors in Cuba are serving prison sentences for declining to send their children to a government-run school where their daughter was bullied for being a Christian, family members said. Pastor Ramón Rigal was sentenced to two years in prison in April for homeschooling his two children, as well as […]

Killings, Kidnapping Target Christian Leaders in Mexico

Drug cartels suspected in killing of one pastor, abduction of another.

MIAMI (Morning Star News) – A Roman Catholic priest and an evangelical pastor in Mexico were killed this month, and another pastor was kidnapped, according to published reports. The Rev. José Martín Guzmán Vega was killed on Aug. 22 in Matamoros, Tamaulipas state, in northeast Mexico, according to the Catholic Multimedia Center (CCM). The priest of […]

Christian Family Takes Refuge in Mountains after Expulsion from their Home in Mexico

Eight children, 87-year-old grandfather drink rain water, collected dew.

MIAMI (Morning Star News) – Miguel Pérez Díaz, his eight children and 87-year-old father have been living in a mountainside shack since May, when local officials expelled them from their village in Chiapas state, Mexico. Relatives, friends and neighbors in Tajlovijho, a village in the municipality of San Andrés Larráinzar in southern Mexico, had been harassing […]

Officials in Cuba Forbid Church Leaders to Attend Religious Freedom Event

Christian religious rights journalist detained.

MEXICO CITY (Morning Star News) – Authorities in Cuba on Sunday (July 14) refused to allow the national presidents of two Christian denominations to board their flight to Washington, D.C., to attend a religious freedom event, sources said. The Rev. Moises de Prada Esquivel and the Rev. Alida Leon Baez, both members of the Alliance of […]

Christian Jailed in Chiapas, Mexico Told to Leave Area in Exchange for Freedom

Temporarily released due to illness, his wife serves time in his place.

(Morning Star News) – A Christian in Chiapas state, Mexico was summarily jailed for three days the evening of Jan. 7 for refusing to deny his faith and contribute to Traditionalist Catholic festivals, according to an advocacy group. Local authorities who practice the Traditionalist Catholic blend of indigenous pagan and Roman Catholic rituals also threatened […]

Pastor in Cuba Sentenced to House Arrest for One Year

Penalty for high-volume worship services excessive, house church leader says.

COCHABAMBA, Bolivia (Morning Star News) – A civil court in Cuba sentenced the pastor of a house church to a year of house arrest on Saturday (Oct. 22) for loud worship services, sources said. Juan Carlos Nuñez received the hastily delivered sentence in Cuba’s eastern city of Las Tunas, where he leads a house church of […]