Calls for investigation into disappearance of Protestant missionary in southern Mexico

A 79-year-old Protestant missionary has been missing for greater than six weeks in southern Mexico after reportedly being abducted by armed men while carrying out evangelistic work in Guerrero State.

Human rights organisation Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has urged Mexican authorities to launch a direct inquiry into the disappearance of Benito Guevara Arcos, who was last seen on March 31 in San Vicente, a community within the municipality of Chilpancingo de los Bravos.

According to CSW, Mr Guevara Arcos had travelled from the nearby town of Ocotito to share the Gospel and distribute Bibles in the realm. 

He had been lodging with a fellow Protestant Christian, who became concerned when the missionary didn’t return later that evening.

Residents reportedly told the friend that armed men had confronted Mr Guevara Arcos over his preaching activities before coercing him right into a vehicle and driving him away. 

Local contacts later suggested that an organised criminal group had said it was verifying who the missionary was, despite him carrying official identification documents on the time.

Days later, the group allegedly informed local Christians that the missionary had been freed within the town of Amojileca on April 4 and asked relatives to gather him there. However, he couldn’t be positioned.

Family members said Mr Guevara Arcos was not in possession of a cell phone when he disappeared but had enough money on him to travel home independently if released safely. 

A missing individuals report was submitted to Guerrero’s National Search Commission on April 13, and police protection was later provided while relatives distributed flyers across the municipality.

Despite widespread local media coverage and the missionary reportedly being famous within the region, no confirmed details about his whereabouts or condition has emerged. 

His family has reportedly avoided filing a proper grievance with the state prosecutor’s office on account of fears of retaliation from criminal groups operating in the realm.

In an announcement, Anna Lee Stangl, CSW’s Director of Advocacy and Americas Team Leader, expressed deep concern for Mr Guevara Arcos’ safety and called on each state and federal authorities to conduct a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.

She said: “We urge anyone who can have information as to what has happened to return forward …We urge the Mexican government, in any respect levels, to extend efforts to arrest the influence of organised criminal groups within the country, recognising the particular threat that these groups pose to non secular leaders and human rights defenders particularly, and prioritising their protection accordingly.”

The case comes amid wider concerns over escalating disappearances and violence in Mexico. 

A recent report by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) said disappearances within the country have risen by greater than 200% over the past decade, warning that state actors are often implicated either directly or through failures to curb organised criminal activity.

Broader international monitoring has also highlighted the growing risks faced by Christians and church leaders in Mexico. 

Earlier this 12 months, persecution watchdog Global Christian Relief reported that Mexico recorded the world’s highest variety of verified abductions and assaults against Christians between late 2023 and 2025, documenting 376 incidents.

The report explained that powerful drug cartels ceaselessly goal pastors and Christian community employees because anti-drug and youth outreach efforts are viewed as threats to criminal control.