THEIR HOLINESSES TONY MARTINEZ, LETY SALAZAR?

By Juan Montoya

One would think that after John Lennon got publicly crucified for saying that in the late 1960s the Beatles were more popular than Jesus, public figures would refrain from pulling the religious card to buttress their mandate.

But here on the border, things take a mite longer than in other parts to stick.

Take for example, the more Catholic than the Pope attitude that our local mayor Hizzoner Tony Martinez has adopted. Not only does he wear his religion on his sleeve and is an ardent promoter of the Guadalupe Middle School in Brownsville, but one of his sons is a priests and he has a chapel built on his property for his daily devotions. In fact, when he convinced the city's electorate to pull the lever on his behalf to become mayor four short years ago, he was featured taking communion there in the local daily. These things don;t happen haphazardly. They are meticulously planned with the acquiescence of a pliant media.

In a pinch, it's difficult to say which way he would pull on a question pitting religion against the state.

Well, wouldn't you know it? His counterpart in Matamoros apparently caught the holier than thou bug. According to sources in our sister city, Leticia Salazar Vasquez was taped in a conversation where she tells her listeners that – as far as Matamnoros goes – there is no holier power there after God than her. She further said that she would allow no one to take over the city aside from her. 

Now, given the power of the cartels, the presence of the Mexican Marines, and the pervasive "Maña" that control most activity in that city, this claim may be nothing more than a bit of bravado on Herroner's part.

The claim that Da Pope is infallibale and that any human would be the only legitimate link between God and humanity goes back to the lore pushed by the Vatican resident centuries ago. The most well known was Lotario de Segni, AKA Pape Innocent II, who at 36, was anointed Shepherd of the Church in 1198.

Innocent cited Matthew 16: 19 where Christ gives disciple Peter the keys to the Kingdom so as to impose his authority on kings and emperors.

Herroner has done her best to remove the evil secular bent of Matamorenses with such edicts (or is it papal bulls__?) such as the destruction of Santa Muerte altars in the city, closing bars and taverns featuring table dances, and even prohibiting women from promoting alcoholic sales in convenience stores under the pretext that the practice promoted prostitution (?).

How these edicts are going to help the people in Matamoros make a living seems to have escaped Da mayor.

Meanwhile, across the ditch, St. Martinez, the slayer of the Great Satan and Imbiber Pat Ahumada, continues to lay down the holy law upon unsuspecting Brownsvillians.

It used to be that Brownsville residents would cross the river every weekend to let their hair down and sin a bit in Mata, and well-heeled Matamoros residents would come to Brownsville to visit their queridas and concubines. No more, say the Holy Duo. 

Instead, say 2,000 Hail Mary's and call me in the morning and go sin no more.