How did Mexico’s 1917 government restrict the Roman Catholic Church?

The 1917 Constitution of Mexico significantly restricted the Roman Catholic Church by incorporating and expanding upon anticlerical clauses found in previous charters.12

Key measures taken by the government included:

• Secular Education: Article 3 mandated a system of secular, free, and compulsory public education, effectively removing the Church's traditional influence over schooling.12
• Exile and Persecution: Following the implementation of the constitution, the government enforced strict policies that led to many bishops and clergy being forced into exile in the United States.3
• Legal Limitations: The government maintained and enforced various anticlerical laws, which included denying priests the right to vote and proscribing certain religious orders, such as the Jesuits.3

These actions were part of a broader shift toward an active, interventionist state that sought to promote social and cultural well-being, often at the expense of the Church's historical authority. These tensions eventually escalated into the Cristero Rebellion (1926–1929), as the peasantry rose in defense of the Church against state hostility. Official anticlericalism remained a feature of the Mexican government until many of these restrictive laws were repealed in 1992.123