Morelos Families Extorted by Cartels Simply for Living in Their Homes as Bishop Ramón Castro Warns Organized Crime Has Taken Control
Joana Campos
Mexico’s security crisis has reached a shocking new level in the state of Morelos. Bishop Ramón Castro Castro of Cuernavaca, who also serves as president of the Mexican Bishops’ Conference, publicly denounced that organized crime groups are now extorting poor families merely for remaining inside their own homes.
The alarming statement was delivered during the XII Walk for Peace held in Cuernavaca, where thousands of citizens dressed in white marched to demand security and an end to the violence devastating the region.
During the event, Castro revealed that criminal organizations in the community of Huautla, located in the municipality of Tlaquiltenango, have imposed illegal “protection payments” on residents who already struggle to survive in one of the poorest areas of Morelos.
The bishop’s remarks reinforce longstanding accusations from residents who claim organized crime has expanded throughout Morelos while authorities fail to regain control.
🕊️ "LES COBRAN POR VIVIR EN SUS CASAS": OBISPO DENUNCIA EXTENSIÓN DEL "DERECHO DE PISO" EN MORELOS Y EXILIO DE PÁRROCO
⚠️ Durante la XII Caminata por la Paz en Cuernavaca, celebrada este sábado 16 de mayo de 2026, el obispo Ramón Castro Castro, presidente de la Conferencia del… pic.twitter.com/SIWt4LreWX
— apartadomex (@ApartadoMex) May 17, 2026