Bishop of Aguascalientes, Mexico, receives death threats on social media
A content creator known as José Lápiz offered 40,000 Mexican pesos, about $2,200, to kill Bishop Juan Espinoza Jiménez, and the state prosecutor has opened an investigation into what he called a serious case
Bishop Juan Espinoza Jiménez of Aguascalientes, in central Mexico, has received death threats on social media, including a post by a content creator known as José Lápiz, who offered 40,000 Mexican pesos, about $2,200, to kill him. The bishop responded in a video posted on October 8, 2026, saying he would not be intimidated.
Espinoza Jiménez called the messages a "social media game," but said the situation goes beyond him personally. "There is a direct attack on the Church," he said, adding that what begins with him has much wider implications. He said the matter had grown like a "snowball," fed by distortions of his homilies, in which he addresses social and political problems in the country.
Prosecutor opens investigation and says the risk will not be downplayed
State prosecutor Manuel Alonso García said on October 7 that the Cybercrime Unit is working on the case, which he called "serious." He said no information pointing to a risk to a person's life would be played down. The threats come in a country regarded as one of the most dangerous in the world for clergy. The Centro Católico Multimedial, a Church media organization in Mexico, has recorded 80 killings of priests and Catholic lay people in the country since 1990.
Bishop rejects polarization and defends his pastoral mission
Espinoza Jiménez said his public statements are not meant to criticize the authorities but to offer an analysis of the situation in Mexico. He refused to take part in the country's political polarization and said his mission is above all pastoral, though with unavoidable social consequences. He said it is important for the faithful to know their social rights and obligations.
Despite the calm with which he has faced the threats, the bishop said it is "very serious" to threaten a person and put a price on their head. He thanked those who have expressed support and asked for prayers for Mexico, that the country find paths of justice and peace.
President of the bishops' conference questions the intent behind the threat
The case has drawn reaction within the Church. Bishop Ramón Castro, president of the Mexican Bishops' Conference, said he was concerned about how serious the threats are. He also questioned whether the influencer's post was genuine, suggesting it could be an act of intimidation rather than a threat someone intended to carry out. Espinoza Jiménez is continuing his pastoral work despite the threats.
