Spain Establishes an Inquisition Office in Mexico City

Perpetuating the Spanish Inquisition in colonial Latin America, an office is set up in Mexico City aimed at persecuting Latin American Jews in addition to homosexuals and non-Christians. The Inquisition, which is established by Spanish Catholic monarchs in 1480, lasts until 1834 and claims the lives of more than 150,000 non-Catholics. Under the inquisition in Latin America, being Jewish could result in execution by burning at the stake, forcing many Jews to either convert to Christianity or hide their religious practices.