Traveling by bus from the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, a group of pilgrims from the Diocese of Nuevo Laredo was robbed at gunpoint along a Mexican highway on the morning of Aug. 1.
Bishop Luis Carlos Lerma Martínez of Nuevo Laredo announced that the 47 pilgrims, including families, seniors, and children, were heading toward the state of Jalisco when the bus was intercepted.
“While it is true that, thank God, there were no serious injuries — let alone any loss of life — the lack of security on the highways of our country is deeply concerning,” Bishop Lerma lamented. He urged authorities to “redouble their efforts to strengthen security on our roads and thus prevent these types of incidents that cause such harm to our society.”
How Did the Robbery Occur?
Anahí Zamora, the pilgrimage organizer, provided details at an Aug. 4 press conference. Around 3:45 a.m., while traveling in Guanajuato, two men dressed in uniforms resembling those of Mexico’s National Guard signaled the bus to stop using a flashlight.
The driver, thinking it was a checkpoint, stopped and got out with the co-driver. The men forced them to kneel at gunpoint and then boarded the bus, threatening passengers with weapons. “They took everything we had with us: suitcases, bags, cellphones,” Zamora said.
After the incident, those affected contacted authorities and diocese representatives, who provided support to continue their journey home.
