U.S. Marshal explores Santa Muerte’s ties to crime

catholic imagery by criminal organizations like the italian mafia or the drug cartels is nothing new. they do that as a way to legitimize their operations. one expert told us –here in the borderland– the pope may attract people who practice a twisted, dangerous version of saint worshipping — that’s not catholicism. here’s our maria garcia to tell us about santa muerte: 14:20 the catholic church considers santa muerte to be satanic u.s. marshal robert almonte has traveled throughout mexico to research santa muerte – or the saint of death. he gives presentations to law enforcement on santa muerte – because of its connection to drug trafficking. 15:50 a lot of these drug traffickers are involved in brutal acts of violence: killing people, torturing, beheading people and a lot of these people pray to santa muerte and they truly believe that in spite of all the evil that they’ve done, they truly believe that santa muerte is going to take them to heaven. no one really knows the exact origins of santa muerte. 25:35 my opinion the research i’ve done santa muerte goes back to the pre-christian beliefs of the aztecs – god of death and back then they would sacrifice people to santa muerte but it’s now morphed into an unsanctioned mix of catholic and dark beliefs — many times displayed in their hideouts. 24:41 what’s interesting is that very often they’ll have catholic saints there as well. the most popular saint that they’ll have is that they drug traffickers pray to in saint jude and saint jude is the patron saint of lost causes and difficult situations even though the vatican has explicitly denounced santa muerte, almonte says her believers often revere the pope and profess they are catholic. as he saw once at a santa muerte church in mexico city. the government tore it down: 17:50 the whole church was nothing but santa muerte and a crucifix there but they also had a photo of pope john paul the second there too. the pope – drawing massive appeal. even from those with the darkest of beliefs. mg abc-7. after the break… the story