A Catholic bishop was recently expelled from Mexico shortly after arriving in the country this month and has criticized Mexican authorities for alleged human rights violations and racial discrimination.
Bishop Joseph Khawam of the Apostolic Exarch for the Melkite Greek Church in Venezuela was detained in Mexico along with undocumented migrants and deported on April 2, as reported by the National Catholic Register.
This deportation follows Mexico’s criticism of U.S. efforts to return undocumented migrants to Mexico.
Khawam expressed his dismay and condemnation of his deportation from Mexico on social media, describing it as a “blatant practice of racial discrimination and an affront to human dignity,” particularly emphasizing that he holds a Vatican passport of Syrian nationality and was treated based on this identity by authorities.
He characterized the incident as a human rights violation and a breach of international agreements governing such matters.
This occurrence coincides with ongoing immigration issues between the U.S. and Mexico. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador previously voiced opposition to a Texas bill proposing the return of undocumented migrants to Mexico if they crossed into the U.S.
Khawam had reportedly traveled to Mexico to participate in a conference of Mexican Bishops for the Catholic Church scheduled from April 8 to April 12.
In his statement, Khawam urged Mexican officials responsible for his deportation to provide a comprehensive explanation for what he deemed a “peculiar and reprehensible incident.”
His remarks were shared alongside a message from the Melkite Greek Catholic Exarchate in Venezuela, translating to: “His Exec. Bishop Joseph Khawam, Apostolic Exarch for the Melkite Greek Church in Venezuela and Apostolic Administrator of the Melkite Greek Eparchy in Mexico, publicly announces the statement regarding the events of April 2 at Mexico City International Airport.”
