Why were Mexican bishops and clergy forced into exile after the Mexican Revolution?

Following the Mexican Revolution, the Mexican government adopted a militantly anticlerical stance, leading to the forced exile of many Roman Catholic Church bishops and clergy.12

This tension was rooted in the Constitution of 1917, which sought to limit the church's influence and power within the country. Under the presidency of Plutarco Elías Calles, the government strictly enforced these constitutional provisions, which included limiting the number of clergy allowed to operate and prohibiting church-run schools.324

The government's aggressive policies were intended to safeguard the revolutionary agenda by excluding the church, which the ruling leadership viewed as a reactionary element. In retaliation to these measures, the church suspended public religious services, and the ensuing conflict eventually escalated into the Cristero uprisings in the mid-1920s. These actions reflect a broader historical pattern in post-independence Mexico, where the state repeatedly sought to reduce the church's economic and social power to consolidate its own authority.1245