translated from Spanish: Michoacano Radio and Television System opens religious worship spaces

Photograph/ SMRTV
Michoacán.- The Michoacan Radio and Television System belonging to the Government of Michoacán, within its Sunday programming offers the transmission of two religious spaces, which promote through its official accounts the transmission of masses and study of the gospel, which are transmitted both on radio and television from 9 hours to 11 in the morning every Sunday.
This has generated controversy on social media as it is a state body, which should apparently be secular, however, the telecommunications and broadcasting laws themselves, as well as the Religious Associations and Public Worship Act does not prohibit as such the transmission of religious associations in public or private spaces of radio and television.
However, there is a gap in the management of these same laws that indicate on the one hand the division of State and Religion, while on the other hand spaces are granted not plurally, since in this case priority is given to a single, leaving out other religious cults; who would also have the same right with the same space granted.
Within the Law on Religious Associations and Public Worship article 3 of it states that “The Mexican State is secular.   It shall exercise its authority over any religious manifestation, individual or collective, only with regard to the observance of the Constitution, International Treaties ratified by Mexico and other applicable legislation and the protection of third-party rights. Reformed paragraph DOF 19-08-2010The State may not establish any kind of preference or privilege in favor of any religion. Nor for or against any church or religious grouping. Paragraph added DOF 19-08-2010 Official identification documents shall not contain mention of the individual’s religious beliefs.
ARTICLE 21 of the same law states that “Religious acts of public worship will be held ordinarily in temples. They may only be performed extraordinarily outside them, in the terms of the provisions of this law and in the other applicable laws. Religious associations may only, in an extraordinary way, transmit or disseminate acts of religious worship through mass non-printed means of communication, subject to the authorization of the Ministry of the Interior.  In no case may religious acts be broadcast in the days of radio and television intended for the State. In the cases referred to in the preceding paragraph, the organizers, sponsors, dealers or owners of the media shall be jointly and severally liable together with the religious association concerned, for complying with the provisions with respect to acts of public worship on an extraordinary basis. Meetings of a political nature may not be held in temples.”

Original source in Spanish