Mexico's Interior Department said Friday it will investigate whether church leaders violated Mexico's constitution by harshly criticizing leftist politicians and the Supreme Court for approving a same-sex adoption law.The Interior Department is in charge of overseeing religious groups, which are forbidden by Mexican law from participating in politics.
"The secular nature of the Mexican government and the principle of the separation of church and state guarantee freedom of expression of all ideas, and require recognition and respect for our country's laws and institutions," a statement from the department said.
Mexico City authorities and the leftist Democratic Revolution Party have accused leading members of the Roman Catholic Church of defaming Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard.
The statement caps a weeklong dispute over comments by Roman Catholic Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez, who suggested that Ebrard may have paid off Supreme Court justices to uphold Mexico City's same-sex adoption law.
Ebrard filed a defamation lawsuit this week against the cardinal, saying he had to defend his honour and the principle of separation of church and state in Mexico.
Iniguez has refused to retract his remarks. His spokesman, Guadalajara Archbishop Antonio Gutierrez, said the cardinal had "something specific" to back up his claim. Gutierrez would not give any details, saying only that the cardinal would be willing to submit evidence to a court.
The Supreme Court has voted to uphold Mexico City laws that legalized same-sex marriages and adoptions. Both of those measures were hotly opposed by the church. Ebrard is a member of the Democratic Revolution Party.
The department did not give a deadline for completing the investigation or mention possible sanctions.
Mexico has a long history of tensions between church and state. Tens of thousands of people were killed during a 1926-1929 uprising by Roman Catholic rebels against anti-clerical laws.
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