Giovanni Zavatta – Vatican City
The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons was observed on July 30. For the Mexican Episcopal Commission for Social Pastoral Care and national Caritas, it became an opportunity to once again condemn the discrimination and abuse suffered in Mexico, particularly by migrants, agricultural workers, indigenous peoples, and Afro-descendant communities.
A scourge worsened by xenophobia and racism
In a statement signed by Bishop Eugenio Andrés Lira Rugarcía and Bishop José Hiraisa Acosta Beltrán, it was emphasized that this crime primarily affects the most vulnerable social groups. They fall victim to human trafficking and organ trafficking, which is used to finance illegal activities.
Furthermore, traffickers force victims to cooperate with drug cartels. The traffickers—the bishops write—ensnare people through prostitution and domestic work in tourist and industrial regions. Xenophobia and racism worsen the situation of these communities, but above all, the lack of state protection and institutional passivity foster the impunity of criminal groups and facilitate “recruitment.” Victims experience oppression and coercion in their workplaces, suffering even from “unpaid wages” while remaining trapped in networks of slavery.
“We all form one family”
In the face of this situation, the importance of human solidarity becomes apparent—note the bishops who, citing the Book of Genesis, remind us that the Word of God addresses us with the question: “Do you know where your brother is? Do you know the conditions in which he works?”.
They urge citizens to oppose all forms of labor, sexual, and domestic exploitation, and to avoid purchasing products made using forced labor.
However, to bring about real change, institutions must support preventive, advisory, and protective initiatives. “We all form one family—the Episcopal Commission emphasizes, explaining that citizen participation is essential for eliminating this social problem—human trafficking is not an insurmountable phenomenon,” if communities manage to effectively join forces. Hence the encouragement not to lose hope, because together—as the message concludes—”we can overcome this problem and make this world a better place for humanity.”
The situation of indigenous populations and people of African descent
During a recent forum entitled “Where is your brother? Human trafficking: a first look at the situation of indigenous peoples and people of African descent,” which was attended by pastoral workers from Panama, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Honduras, among others, it was revealed that in Mexico, 45 out of 100 victims of human trafficking come from indigenous communities.
The most common crimes are: sexual exploitation and labor exploitation, especially in the agricultural sector (increasingly through false job offers spread on social media), forced marriages, and the recruitment of teenagers into criminal activities.
As part of the forum, it was proposed to strengthen coordination between parishes, dioceses, pastoral regions, and bishops’ conferences, expand the formation processes for pastoral workers, and use digital media as tools for raising awareness and reporting cases of abuse.
