Florencio Armando Colín Cruz is the apostolic administrator of the diocese; his resignation was accepted on September 29, 2026, appointing a new prelate who will be installed in November.
The Diocese of Puerto Escondido released a statement on October 10, 2026 regarding the health of its apostolic administrator, Florencio Armando Colín Cruz, reporting his hospitalization and transfer to the city of Oaxaca for specialized medical care. The text, signed by the vicar general, Fr. Juan Martín Cervantes Álvarez, does not provide details about the specific condition affecting the bishop, limiting itself to noting the need for more advanced care.
The statement calls for unity and prayer. “We invite all priests, religious men and women, seminarians, and lay faithful to lift up their prayers to God Our Lord, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for his prompt recovery, strength, and well-being” and insists on maintaining serenity and trust amid uncertainty. It urges the community to remain steadfast in faith, trusting in divine mercy and the provident love that accompanies us in times of difficulty. “May the Lord accompany Monsignor, enlighten those who care for his health, and grant him the grace of a prompt recovery”, the document adds, also expressing gratitude for the gestures of closeness and solidarity from the faithful.
The figure of Colín Cruz has been key in the recent life of Puerto Escondido. He was born in the State of Mexico in October 1950 and was ordained in 1982 by the imposition of hands of Cardinal Ernesto Corripio Ahumada. A specialist in paleo-Christian archaeology and biblical disciplines, Colín Cruz combined his biblical formation with teaching and formation at the Conciliar Seminary of Mexico, where he served as vice-rector since 1992. He was later appointed pastor of Capuchinas, in the Basilica of Guadalupe complex, in 1996 and canon of that same Marian shrine until 2008, when he was elevated to the episcopal dignity to serve as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Mexico. He succeeded Pedro Vázquez Villalobos, becoming the III bishop of Puerto Escondido since February 2018. In that diocese, he was noted for his efforts to consolidate parish structures and accompany rural and indigenous communities in a context of tourist growth on the Oaxacan coast. In September 2026, the Holy See accepted his resignation from pastoral governance, in a gesture that responded both to his health condition and the need to ensure continuity in diocesan life. Pope Leo XIV appointed as his successor Héctor López Alvarado, until then auxiliary bishop of Guadalajara, who will assume leadership of a young diocese in the process of consolidation.
In recent years, Colín Cruz showed mobility issues, especially due to knee ailments. At the same time, the statement avoids fueling rumors or speculation about the case and focuses on maintaining “serenity,” in prayer and hope.
The Diocese of Puerto Escondido, erected in 2016, serves a population of approximately 450,000 inhabitants, with around 30 parishes spread across a diverse and constantly growing coastal area. Its pastoral identity is still in the process of consolidation, and the episcopal transition comes at a time of sensitivity and faith. The community, called to prayer, faces the challenge of accompanying its pastor in illness and preparing to welcome its new bishop.
Finally, the statement calls for unity and hope. “We unite fraternally in prayer, trusting in the Mercy of God and His Provident Love”, invoking the intercession of Our Lady of Solitude for the prompt recovery of the apostolic administrator.
The statement can be read here: