In Tlaxcala, Tlax., President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has announced that during the current administration, a total of 10 billion pesos have been allocated for the restoration of more than 3,200 temples and buildings. These structures, considered part of the nation’s historical heritage, suffered damage during the 2017 earthquakes. The announcement came while he was delivering the parish of San José, a 16th-century structure, and other facilities that have recently been refurbished.
Alejandra Frausto, the federal Secretary of Culture, has stated that the 2017 earthquakes were the most disastrous event for the country’s cultural heritage. She highlighted the complexity of the restoration work, emphasizing that the task of rebuilding 3,200 properties across 11 states has been an immense challenge. The difficulty was compounded by the fact that these buildings, originally constructed in the 16th century, had undergone various modifications over time, meaning the earthquake damage varied significantly due to the non-uniform nature of the buildings.
During a ceremony at the parish atrium, Frausto described it as an “architectural gem” from the 16th century. She noted that this structure had survived two earthquakes, resulting in partial destruction. However, through the joint efforts of federal and state governments, it has been entirely restored by a multidisciplinary team.
López Obrador used the occasion of the symbolic handover of several restored temples in Tlaxcala to express his gratitude to the bishop of the state, Julio César Salcedo, and the priests of the entity. He later followed a similar pattern when delivering the parish of San Antonio de Padua and other religious sites in the region to Archbishop of Puebla, Víctor Sánchez.
López Obrador went on to clarify that the secular nature of the Mexican state does not imply a prohibition of religions. He explained, “To be quite clear: President Benito Juárez, due to circumstances, became anticlerical at one point, but he was never anti-religious. This is a distinction that is often misunderstood,” stated the Executive.
Later, in Puebla, while presenting the temple of San Antonio de Padua, López Obrador highlighted the importance of restoring the churches damaged by the earthquakes. He emphasized that besides being part of the country’s historical heritage, these structures are at the heart of their respective neighborhoods and towns. “If we want to celebrate anything, it should be Mexico’s cultural wealth, as it is the expression of the heritage of the great civilizations that formed this country,” he said.
Alejandra Frausto explained that in Puebla, the restoration of 99 historic religious buildings was accomplished as part of the National Reconstruction Plan, representing a major achievement in the recovery of cultural heritage.
She noted that these restoration efforts have demonstrated that “the invaders built on top of sacred sites” belonging to our ancestors. Despite this, these sites have not lost their significance as community spaces.
She revealed that while significant progress has been made in the restoration efforts, there are still 926 temples to be renovated by 2023. So far, 363 of these have been completed, and she committed to continuing the work until all are finished before the end of the six-year term.
