THE MEXICAN CATHOLIC
Church was too close to the former government in the eyes of the public, Mexico's bishops said at a press conference on 26 April.
"We have to recognise that the Mexican Church made itself dependent upon the government. But we regret that, and one can repent when one recognises what one has done," said Bishop Luis Morales Reyes of Toreon.
He denied the Church was ever "bought off" by the Salinas administration in exchange for the government's lifting of anti-church legislation.
He also, however, acknowledged that during Salinas' six
year term, the Church hierarchy participated in more than $110m worth of debt for equity swaps, which helped relieve the foreign debt burden on the Mexican government while producing revenues for church social projects. Some members also accepted money for church projects from the government's massive "Solidarity" anti-poverty program, he said.
At another conference, the bishops blamed the country's economic and political problems on "sinful" social structures and denounced Government manipulation of the media, electoral fraud and policies which failed to serve the public good.