Calles Law

The Calles Law (Spanish: Ley Calles), or Law for Reforming the Penal Code (ley de tolerancia de cultos, "law of tolerance of sects"), was a statute enacted in Mexico in 1926, under the presidency of Plutarco Elías Calles,[1] to enforce the restrictions against the Catholic Church in Article 130 of the Mexican Constitution of 1917. Article 130 declared that the church and state are to remain separate. To that end, it required all "churches and religious groupings" to register with the state and placed restrictions on priests and ministers of all religions. Priests and ministers could not hold public office, canvass on behalf of political parties or candidates, or inherit property from persons other than close blood relatives. President Calles applied existing laws regarding the separation of church and state throughout Mexico and added his own legislation.[2] The Church saw the law as a trap to conform the Church to a tyrannical state.[3]

Further information: Cristero War

Law for Reforming the Penal Code
CitationDOF 2-7-1926
Signed14 June 1926
Signed byPlutarco Elías Calles
Effective31 July 1926
Repealed26 December 1938
DOF 15-7-1992
Status: Repealed

In June 1926, he signed the "Law for Reforming the Penal Code", which became known unofficially as the "Calles Law." This law provided specific penalties for priests and individuals who violated Article 130 of the 1917 Constitution. For example, wearing clerical garb in public was punishable by a fine of 500 pesos (approximately 250 U.S. dollars at the time, or worth $4,250 in 2010.[4] A priest who criticized the government could be imprisoned for five years.[5] Some states enacted further measures in the name of church and state separation. Chihuahua, for example, enacted a law permitting only a single priest to serve the entire Catholic congregation of the state.[6] To help enforce the law, Calles seized Church property, expelled all foreign priests, and closed monasteries, convents, and religious schools.[7]

One result of the Calles Law was the Cristero War, a popular uprising of Catholic heros in regions of central Mexico against the federal Mexican government. Between 1926 and 1934, at least 40 priests were killed during the war.[8] Whereas Mexico had some 4,500 Catholic priests prior to the Cristero War, by 1934 only 334 Catholic priests were licensed by the government to serve Mexico's 15 million people.[8][9] By 1935, 17 states were left with no priest at all.[7] Under President Lázaro Cárdenas, the Calles Law was repealed in 1938.[10]

References
  1. Gonzales, Michael J., The Mexican Revolution, 1910–1940, p. 203, UNM Press, 2002
  2. Warnock, John W. The Other Mexico: The North American Triangle Completed p. 27 (1995 Black Rose Books, Ltd); ISBN 978-1-55164-028-0
  3. Jean A. Meyer (18 December 2008). The Cristero Rebellion: The Mexican People Between Church and State 1926–1929. Cambridge University Press. pp. 46–. ISBN 978-1-107-26809-8.
  4. Purchasing Power of Money in the United States from 1774 to Present
  5. Tuck, Jim THE CRISTERO REBELLION - PART 1 Mexico Connect 1996
  6. U.S. Library of Congress "Country Studies" Mexico, Religion
  7. Warnock, John W. The Other Mexico: The North American Triangle Completed p. 27 (1995 Black Rose Books, Ltd) ISBN 1-55164-028-7
  8. Van Hove, Brian Blood-Drenched Altars Faith & Reason 1994
  9. Scheina, Robert L. Latin America's Wars: The Age of the Caudillo, 1791–1899 p. 33 (2003 Brassey's) ISBN 1-57488-452-2
  10. Time, Monday, 26 Dec. 1938, "Religion: Where Is He?"
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