Bishop Juan Espinoza Jiménez threatened with attack

Bishop Juan Espinoza Jiménez of Aguascalientes, Mexico, has been threatened with an attack following his public comments regarding violence and government responsibility. According to ZENIT News Agency, an influencer identified as José Lápiz posted a message on social media offering a reward of 40,000 Mexican pesos to anyone who attacks the bishop. The message also included insults directed at priests.

The Mexican Catholic hierarchy expressed concern over the threats, and state legislators have called for the bishop's protection. Authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the online threats. While the message was later deleted and the influencer questioned the relevance of the comments, he reportedly maintained hostile remarks toward Church members and suggested the possibility of paying to eliminate them.

The threats followed a September 27 homily at the Aguascalientes cathedral, where Bishop Espinoza Jiménez urged Catholics to judge political leaders by the results of their policies rather than their promises. He also addressed contradictions between official claims of freedom and the reality of violence in the country.