200 worshippers of the 'Sante Muerte'(Death Saint) marched against the government today against what they saw as religious perscution. However the religion is popular with drug traffickers and soliders often see shrines to the saint on raids. Practioners though believe the saint protects them from a violent death. Officials have denied claims that they are targetting sante Muerte, but in the past month 30 shrines to the saint(which consist of marble structures and the sketal figure) have been destroyed. Protestors carried portable shrines and signs proclaiming their faith to the belief. Obviously the government's attempts to crack down on drug violence have become to use more desperate measures creating negative feedback in an already dissatisfied population. Unforunately there has not even been a positive side to this perscution against 'cultists'. This weakens an already frail sense of legitmacy for the government, which in its struggle for the country is acting against the wishes of some of the population. This suggests to me that the Mexican goverment is willing to sacrifice civil liberites if it means that they can keep a hold on the country.
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