Catholic priest Jorge Echegollen prays before a blessing tour for COVID-19 patients and their relatives outside hospitals, at the San Miguel Arcangel temple in Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico, on May 28, 2020. (Photo by Guillermo Arias / AFP) (Photo by GUILLERMO ARIAS/AFP via Getty Images)
Baja, California – Catholic Church leaders in Baja California have launched a new initiative to help combat violence by transforming their churches into voluntary gun and ammunition collection sites.
The program, titled “Sí al desarme, sí a la paz”—which translates to “Yes to disarming, yes to peace”—invites parishioners to surrender firearms, ammunition, and even explosives at local churches with no legal repercussions. Participants may also receive compensation based on the type of weapon turned in.
The effort officially began last week with a ceremony outside Tijuana’s historic cathedral, attended by Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda and other local dignitaries. “You battle violence with peace,” said the governor. “If one life is saved by this program, we can call it a success.”
The collected weapons will be safely destroyed by the Mexican Army.
The initiative was first proposed in November during a meeting between Archbishop Francisco Moreno Barrón and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. Churchgoers and officials alike have welcomed the collaboration between religious and governmental institutions in promoting public safety.
“I think it’s good the church joins in,” said Karen Chavez, a local parishioner. “The church has a lot of pull, and if anyone brings in a weapon, legal or otherwise, it’s something we can all support.”
Mexico’s Undersecretary for Democratic Development, Social and Religious Relations, Rocio Barcena Molina, cited similar disarmament campaigns in other parts of the country. At Mexico City’s Basilica, nearly 1,400 weapons, 58,000 rounds of ammunition, 126 grenades, and 1,200 cartridges were recently collected.
Baja California officials hope to replicate that success locally. “Every gun on the streets of Tijuana is practically a homicide waiting to happen,” said Miguel Ángel Gaxiola, head of homicide investigations in the region. “If we get 20 to 30 weapons turned in, it truly is a great benefit for society.”
The program will continue in the coming weeks, with churches across Baja California participating as collection points. Church leaders say their goal is to promote peace and offer a safe and trusted environment for residents to contribute to a less violent future.
