In recent years, a troubling trend has emerged in Ecuador, where the veneration of Santa Muerte — a Mexican “death saint” — has taken root in the criminal underworld. Santa Muerte, depicted as a skeleton draped in a cloak, is now becoming a symbol for gang members and drug traffickers who believe the saint will protect them from arrest or help them achieve their illicit goals. This practice is not only dangerous but also deeply contrary to Catholic teachings, which hold that saints are to be venerated for their sanctity and holiness, not for their association with death and destruction.
According to police in the western Ecuadoran city of Duran, where the phenomenon has grown in prevalence, “gang members… make offerings at altars” to Santa Muerte in hopes of gaining her protection. These altars, found in criminal hideouts, often feature money, tobacco, alcohol, and other offerings, symbolizing the gangsters’ plea for favor. As Colonel Roberto Santamaria of the Duran police explained, “The belief is that when they entrust themselves to this Santa Muerte, they will not be caught or they will achieve their goal because Santa Muerte takes care of them.”
The very concept of a saint, especially one linked with death and criminality, is anathema to Catholic belief. Catholic doctrine teaches that saints are to be examples of holy living, guiding the faithful through lives of virtue and leading them toward God. Yet Santa Muerte is venerated by some as a protector of criminals, with devotees claiming that she grants power over life and death. Her image, a skeleton wielding a scythe, symbolizes the finality of death, not the hope of eternal life in Christ.
The devotion to Santa Muerte is not just limited to altars; some gang members have gone so far as to tattoo her likeness on their bodies or wear amulets with her image. This adoption of Santa Muerte by Ecuador’s criminal gangs can be traced back to Mexico, where it gained popularity among drug lords. As Santamaria noted, “Santa Muerte came over from Mexico about six years ago when members of the Ecuadoran gang Los Choneros received training from the infamous Sinaloa cartel, which also transferred its otherworldly beliefs.”
This growing cult of death, which has found its way into Ecuador’s drug-trafficking operations, raises grave concerns for Catholics. It blurs the line between faith and superstition, promoting a distorted and dangerous view of the afterlife. The idea that a saint could be invoked for personal gain, especially in the context of criminal activity, runs counter to the Catholic understanding of saints as intercessors who help the faithful live virtuous lives and draw closer to God.
The influence of Santa Muerte in Ecuador has sparked fears among some, including police officers, who report feeling uneasy around altars dedicated to the saint. Some officers have even claimed to experience physical symptoms such as “headaches, [sickness], and dizziness” after operations involving Santa Muerte shrines. While Colonel Santamaria personally does not subscribe to the supernatural beliefs surrounding the saint, he acknowledges the power these altars seem to have over some people, stating, “Police have told me that after the operations, they get headaches, begin to feel sick and feel dizzy.”
For Catholics, the idea of a saint who represents death is deeply disturbing. In Catholicism, the saints are not seen as figures who cause or glorify death, but as examples of how to live a life pleasing to God. The notion of a saint whose worship is associated with crime, human sacrifice, and drug trafficking is something Catholics would find appalling.
This new wave of Santa Muerte devotion is not without controversy in Ecuador, where Catholic leaders have strongly condemned the practice. Catholic teaching emphasizes the sanctity of life and the importance of adhering to God’s commandments, including the commandment to not engage in superstition or idolatry. In this context, Santa Muerte represents not only a threat to individual faith but also a deeper moral corruption that undermines the values of life, dignity, and holiness that are central to Catholic belief.
The Church in Ecuador, like in many other parts of Latin America, has a long history of promoting devotion to saints who lead believers toward eternal life. The rise of Santa Muerte presents a stark contrast to this, offering an image of death and destruction that is completely incompatible with the Catholic faith.
The situation is further complicated by the social dynamics in Ecuador. While Santa Muerte remains largely a symbol of the criminal underworld, her image is also being adopted more broadly by the population, with depictions of the saint sold in markets and online. As social studies researcher Cristina Burneo pointed out, “People are already being criminalized because of their race, because they are impoverished, now they will also be criminalized for popular customs.” This blurring of lines between cultural practices and criminal activity may lead to unjust stigmatization of those who do not engage in the darker practices associated with Santa Muerte.
For Catholics, the presence of Santa Muerte in Ecuador should serve as a stark reminder of the dangers of superstition and idolatry. The Catholic faith calls believers to seek protection and guidance not from figures associated with death and destruction but from Christ and the saints who exemplify holiness and virtue. It is a call to reject practices that glorify death and instead embrace the life-giving teachings of the Gospel.
As Catholics, we are called to pray for the conversion of those who have fallen into the trap of idolizing Santa Muerte and to witness to the truth of the Gospel, which leads to eternal life, not the worship of death. The rise of Santa Muerte in Ecuador is a reminder of the importance of remaining firm in our Catholic faith and rejecting anything that seeks to replace God’s truth with false idols.