The Mexican Government has complained to Pope Francis’ representative after the Pope warned that Argentina risked becoming like Mexico with regards to drug trafficking.
In a private letter to the director of an Argentine NGO, La Alameda, Francis wrote, "I hope we're in time to avoid Mexicanisation. I was talking to some Mexican bishops and it's become a thing of horror there."
The Mexican foreign minister, Jose Antonio Meade, met papal nuncio Archbishop Christophe Pierre, to discuss the remark.
“We express sadness and concern with respect to the communications that apparently were made, referring to a private letter from Pope Francis,” Mr Meade said, adding that the Pope's words had "stigmatised" the country.
"Mexico is making enormous efforts to combat drug trafficking," he stressed.
Papal spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi issued a statement clarifying Francis' comments, which were made in a letter to Gustavo Vera, an Argentinian friend whose charity, La Alameda, works to combat drug crime.
Fr Lombardi said Francis meant in no way to offend the Mexican population "for whom he holds a special affection, nor to underestimate the commitment of the Mexican Fovernment in its fight against narco-trafficking."
"As is known, the expression 'avoid Mexicanization' was used by the Pope in an email of a strictly private and informal nature, in response to an Argentine friend who is deeply involved in the battle against drug abuse, who had used the phrase," Fr Lombardi said.
"The Note demonstrates that evidently the Pope intended only to emphasise the seriousness of the phenomenon of the drug trafficking that afflicts Mexico and other countries in Latin America. It is precisely this importance that has made the fight against drug trafficking a priority for the [Mexican] Government."
The cartels are moving from Mexico and Colombia to Argentina and the quantity of Europe-bound drugs leaving Latin America from Argentina has increased, according to Europol. Argentinian officials are locked in debate as to how to prevent the drug dealers gaining more of a foothold.
Last autumn the head of Argentina’s Department of Homeland Security, Sergio Berni acknowledged that "with our laws and judicial system, we are facilitating [the traffickers'] actions".
Above: Archbishop Pierre, pictured here comforting relatives of 43 students who were arrested last year and handed over to a drugs gang. They are presumed murdered. Photo: CNS
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