On Monday, as part of Operation Lone Star, agents of the Texas Department of Public Safety raided a stash house in Houston, Texas, used by human smugglers. The house contained 23 illegal immigrants from Mexico and Central America, who were being held in squalid conditions and threatened with violence. But what caught the attention of the authorities was the presence of an elaborate altar dedicated to Santa Muerte, the folk saint of death.
Santa Muerte, or Our Lady of Holy Death, is a controversial figure in Mexican culture and religion. Usually depicted as a skeletal woman dressed in a robe, holding a scythe and a globe, she is revered by many people who live on the margins of society, such as drug traffickers, prostitutes, prisoners, and migrants. They believe she can grant them protection, prosperity, love, and a safe passage to the afterlife.
Santa Muerte is condemned by the Catholic Church and the Mexican government as a symbol of evil and violence. She is associated with the cult of narco-saints, who are venerated by drug cartels for their alleged supernatural powers. Some of these narco-saints are historical figures, such as Jesús Malverde or Juan Soldado, while others are mythical beings, such as San La Muerte or Rey Pascual.
The shrine to Santa Muerte found in the stash house was likely set up by the smugglers, who prayed to her for their protection and success in their illicit activities. The shrine consisted of candles, statues, images, and offerings of money, alcohol, cigarettes, and candy. Some of the items were colored red, white, or black, which represent different aspects of Santa Muerte’s power.
The discovery of the shrine sheds light on the complex and often contradictory relationship between religion and crime in Mexico and beyond. While some people may see Santa Muerte as a source of hope and comfort in their desperate situations, others use her as a justification for violence.
Since Operation Lone Star began, authorities have discovered 261 stash houses containing more than 3,000 illegal migrants. The number of Santa Muerte shrines is unknown.
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