Some religious groups and religious liberty groups have applauded the commission including the Center for Family and Human Rights, a Catholic think tank.

An increasingly vocal band of advocates and experts says the Trump administration’s policies have failed to address many of the challenges faced by Christians, Yazidis and other religious minorities abroad

Serving as head of the Archdiocese of Havana for almost 35 years pushed the cardinal into a prominent role as a spokesman for Cuban Catholics on national and international issues.

The celebration gala came ahead of the July 17 dedication of Christ Cathedral. Following a reception on the campus' South Plaza, attendees filed into the cathedral where many got a first look at the completely renovated cathedral.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador swept into office in 2018 after campaigning against corruption, promising to calm the country and pledging to promote morals and values, including the enactment of a "moral constitution."

After a nearly two-decade lapse in federal executions, the move, according to a Department of Justice statement to the press, brings “justice to victims of the most horrific crimes.”