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As Mexico’s devoutly Roman Catholic president settles into his job, church leaders are debating what his faith means for the nation’s 4 million evan-gelicals.

Vicente Fox took office in December as Mexico’s first president not from the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) in more than 70 years. The maverick politician, a former Coca-Cola executive, has startled observers by publicly proclaiming his faith and closing political speeches with phrases such as “God bless you.” For much of the past century, Mexico observed strict separation of church and state. Clergy could not own property or wear clerical vestments in public.

Fox’s rightist National Action Party (PAN) has influenced states where it holds power by passing strict anti-abortion laws. In one state, abortion has been outlawed in all cases, including rape and when the mother’s life is threatened. During the campaign, Fox made political appearances at Catholic masses.

Whether this new tolerance of religion will extend to non-Catholic groups remains to be seen.

“Already we have seen more freedom to buy time on radio and television,” says Enrique Rojas, an evangelical pastor who heads the Vanguardia Juvenil training program for Christian youth in Mexico City. “Especially in the rural areas some churches have programming all day long and are trying to buy radio stations. Here in Mexico City, one Pentecostal group offers radio programs for several hours every evening.”

But not everybody shares Rojas’ optimism. “Things are uncertain because we have always experienced persecution as an evangelical church, particularly from the Catholic Church,” says Assemblies of God pastor Ramiro Ruiz Lemus.

“Therefore, we understand that the PAN party is subsidized in many areas by the Catholic Church, and we have reservations.” Assemblies pastor Salatiel Ramirez thinks things will be easier and more flexible with the change in government. “Fox has promised to give us greater access to radio and TV, and I believe him,” he says. Concurring with Ramirez is a long-time missionary who has witnessed the gamut of persecution against Christians there.

“Evangelicals have grown so tremendously in the last ten years that the government cannot ignore them any longer,” says Liz Isais of Latin America Mission. “The recent census was probably a revelation to Mexico’s leaders in that regard. Also, Fox has many staff members who are members of evangelical churches, and they are convinced he will be much more fair-minded about religion than previous presidents.”

Opinion remains divided on the issue, reports Donna Boutros, an Assemblies missionary to Mexico for more than 20 years. “It’s not like the U.S. where most Christians will vote one way or the other and not feel that they have a choice. There are a lot of Christians who voted for Fox. They think he will be very open.”

Boutros says that Fox gives evangelicals plenty to like. “He is very anti-abortion. His statements on religious freedom have been good. But, he is a very devout Catholic. So there are many other Christians who are very concerned and think that persecution is on the way,” she says.

Mennonite pastor Fernando Pérez agrees. “The situation won’t get any better because of the anti-clerical history of Mexico,” he says. “Fox is strongly Catholic, and he will not be open to evangelicals.” The only positive Perez sees in Fox is his opposition to abortion in any situation.

Following his election, Fox said that churches should have more freedom and has promised to end years of repression and guarantee freedom to practice one’s beliefs. He also promised to allow more religious activity in public schools. “Fox has promised that evangelicals will receive attention, that he will meet with leaders twice a year, and that religious freedom will be enforced,” says Liz Isais.

The PRI, which had ruled Mexico for seven decades, strongly held its policy of church-state separation. Churches must register with the government, and their involvement in political activity is limited. Protestants often complain that their concerns are ignored in the mostly Catholic country.

“The Fox government represents a drastic change in Mexican politics,” says Juan Isais, a prominent evangelical leader. “During 70 years the National Action Party together with the Institutional Revolutionary Party governed Mexico. The result has been many monopolies and protective laws for industries on the (political) right. Now the right will be governing us, but with a solid opposition. Mexico City is controlled by the Democratic Revolutionary Party, meaning that some 22 million people voted for the left. Congress is in the hands of the PRI.”

That means that groups that differ in ideology will simply have to learn to get along. “As a result, the only answer is to have dialogue among all the groups, if Fox is to govern successfully,” Juan Isais says. “Mexico must achieve this type of cooperation, or the country will become ungovernable.”

April 6, 2001