Outside the law, not of the sacred: religious cults, violence and criminality in Mexico

Outside the Law, not of the Sacred: Religious Cults, Violence, and Criminality in Mexico . In Mexico, violence linked to criminal organizations has increased as well as the perception of insecurity in the population. The different strategies people search to face vulnerability and uncertainty, such as searching for protection through religious cults fixed in images, as they come from the criminal world, have been considered marginal. The analysis and comparison of cults and pictures, especially the Santa Muerte, Jesus Malverde and the Angelito Negro, make us understand criminal violence through the symbolism of these cults. Also, the differences that each cult establishes is critical to identify the meaning offered to his devotees to live in a world of uncertainty. This article focuses on this theme from the analysis of the iconic act of Bredekamp, as well as the cognitive frames of reference proposed by Georg Lakoff to interpret the significant relationships built behind the three cults.