The Cult of Jesús Malverde
Crime and Sanctity as Elements of a Heterogeneous Modernity
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4501237 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Gerardo Gómez Michel (0000-0002-9628-0750), Jungwon Park (0000-0002-6320-804X), Jung‐Won Park (0000-0003-0249-8749) |
| Year | 2014 |
| Volume | 41 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 202-214 |
| Publication date | 2014-03-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Latin American Perspectives (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0094-582X • E-ISSN: 1552-678X |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/0094582x13509787 |
| OpenAlex | W2158344568 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
| References cited | 5 |
The legend of Jesús Malverde articulates the myth of a late-nineteenth-century social bandit in Sinaloa, Mexico. Beatified at the grassroots, Malverde became known decades later as the patron saint of narcos (drug traffickers). In the past few years, this anticanonical figure has provoked controversy because of his supposed association with the criminal world. An examination of the meanings of sanctity and criminality in the Malverde cult in various cultural productions suggests that the worship of this bandit-saint originally reflected the asymmetrical power relationships in Sinaloa during the Porfirian modernizing period. His recent transformation into a "narco-saint" points to the integration into the global market of this region's contraband. The conflictive image of criminal and redeeming saint illustrates a form of emerging modernity in Sinaloa that represents the intimate desires of those worst affected by illegality and calls into question the unjust and exclusive official system. Beyond his role as a folk religious symbol, Malverde has acquired transnational influence as a laic saint identified with the vulnerability of the human condition under globalization. La leyenda de Jesús Malverde articula el mito de un bandido social sinaloense de fines del siglo 19. Beatificado por el pueblo, Malverde conocido décadas más tarde como el santo patrón de los narcos. En los últimos años esta figura anti-canónica ha provocado controversia por su supuesta asociación con el mundo criminal. Un examen del significado de la santidad y la criminalidad en el culto a Malverde en varias producciones culturales sugiere que la adoración a este bandido-santo en su origen refleja las relaciones asimétricas del poder en la Sinaloa porfiriana. Su transformación en "narco-santo" apunta hacia la integración del contrabando de droga de esta región al mercado global. La imagen conflictiva como criminal y santo redentor ilustra una forma de modernidad emergente en Sinaloa que representa los deseos más íntimos de los más afectados por la ilegalidad y pone en tela de juicio el injusto y excluyente sistema oficial. Más allá de su papel como símbolo religioso popular, Malverde ha llegado a tener influencia trasnacional como santo láico identificado con la vulnerabilidad de la condición humana bajo la globalización
Ancient history · Art · Art history · Cult · Ethnology · Humanities · Legend · Modernity · Political science · SAINT · Sociology · Symbol (formal) · Worship · Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance · History · Law · Philosophy · Religious studies
| Unique citing works | 6 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,2 |
| Citation span | 2021 - 2025 (5) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 6 |