Title: Anti-clericalism in Mexico - Wikipedia
Headings: Anti-clericalism in Mexico
Anti-clericalism in Mexico
Contents
Beginning of anticlericalism and persecution
Calles presidency and Cristero War
Mid-twentieth century
Removal of many anticlerical provisions from the constitution
Martyrs
See also
External links
References

Content: it also emboldened Communist labor unions, paving the way for anti-religious governments. Recent President Vicente Fox stated: " After 1917, Mexico was led by anti-Catholic Freemasons who tried to evoke the anticlerical spirit of popular, indigenous President Benito Juarez of the 1880s. But the military dictators of the 1920s were a lot more savage than Juarez." Fox goes on to recount how priests were killed for trying to perform the sacraments, altars were desecrated by soldiers, and freedom of religion outlawed by generals. Calles presidency and Cristero War
Main article: Cristero War
As a reaction against the strict enforcement of the above anti-clerical articles in the constitution of 1917 in Mexico, specifically Article 130, armed conflict broke out in the Cristero War (also known as the Cristiada) of 1926 to 1929. This was a civil war between Catholic rebels called Cristeros and the anti-clerical Mexican government of the time that was mainly localized in central Western states in Mexico. Though conflict between church and state marked the presidency of Álvaro Obregón (1920–1924), who "accused the clergy of being insincere and of producing conflict" but "spoke of Jesus Christ as 'the greatest socialist who has been known to Humanity'", it was with the election of President Plutarco Elías Calles in 1924 that anti-clerical laws were stringently applied throughout the country. Calles added a requirement that prohibited priests from ministering unless licensed by the state.