Mexico: Bishop opposes casino in front of church

A Mexican bishop has started a legal action against a company which has opened a casino in front of a church.

Mgr Pedro Pablo Elizondo Cardenas, Bishop of Cancún-Chetumal, in Quintana Roo, has started a legal battle against Playboy Casino in Cancun. The Church's case rest on the fact that the casino is located less than 200 metres from a place of worship and this is a violation of the law.

"The casino is within a prohibited area because it is near a school or a church: we appeal to the text of law, " explained the Bishop. The casino was opened in 2010, but was closed due to lack of safety measures. It was reopened in November 2012, and is opposite the Church of the Risen Christ.

The District Court said it was "not competent" to deal with the case and sent everything to the Federal District Court. According to press reports, the defense states that "it is the Church that should not be there."

In Cancun, there are other casinos because the area is a tourist resort, but none as close to a church as this one.

In Mexico, the Catholic Church has always condemned the connection between gambling and organised crime, drug trafficking, violence, abuse of power and corruption, which are at the expense of the poor and suffering. In many cases violence has been linked to casinos. In 2011 a massacre took place in a casino in the city of Monterrey in Nuevo Leon, which caused more than 50 deaths.

Source: Fides