Today, Santa Muerte has gained a following beyond Mexico, reaching Canada, Europe, and other parts of Latin America, where two similar folk saints, San La Muerte of Argentina and Rey Pascual of Guatemala, share in her skeletal symbolism.
Growing Violence
Guanajuato, the site of this tragic attack, has witnessed some of Mexico’s highest homicide rates due to ongoing cartel conflicts. Authorities are investigating if drug-related violence is connected to this attack on the Santa Muerte altar, a location seen as sacred by her followers.
While many gatherings for Santa Muerte are peaceful, this brutal incident highlights the rising tensions between faith, cartel violence, and folk traditions in regions plagued by crime.
