Pope Benedict XVI condemns Mexico's drug violence

Pope Benedict XVI called on adults to "protect and to care for children" and sent a message to minors suffering from violence in a speech in the central Mexican city of Guanajuato.

In his first public event on his second day in Mexico, the pope made a special mention of Mexican children "who have to bear the burden of suffering, abandonment, violence or hunger."

Amid complaints from sexual abuse victims that the pope would not meet them in Mexico, Benedict referred to the mistreatment of children on Saturday, without specifically mentioning Catholic priest pedophilia scandals of recent decades.

The pope has faced criticism during the visit over the Vatican's management of Mexico's most notorious pedophile abuse offender, Marcial Maciel, the founder of the influential Legion of Christ order, who died in 2008.

Mexican victims of sexual abuse on Saturday accused the Vatican of protecting Maciel for decades and expressed frustration that Pope Benedict XVI would not meet them there.

He also urged Catholics to look to their faith in response to poverty and crime and to reject violence and revenge.

More than 500,000 people gathered to hear his message beside the Christ the King monument in Silao - one of the most important symbols of Mexican Catholicism.

Pope Benedict was on his first visit to the Latin American country.

"At this time when so many families are separated or forced to emigrate, when so many are suffering due to poverty, corruption, domestic violence, drug trafficking, the crisis of values and increased crime, we come to Mary in search of consolation, strength and hope," he said in a prayer.

Mexico has the world's second largest Catholic congregation after Brazil.

Huge crowds turned out to greet the Pope during his visit, and thousands camped out in Silao's Bicentennial Park overnight on Saturday awaiting the Mass.

"We could hardly sleep because of the emotion and now we can see the Pope," said Xochitl Alvarez, an indigenous woman who said she had travelled hundreds of miles from southern Mexico.

The main candidates for July's presidential election were in attendance, as well as Mexican tycoons including Carlos Slim, the richest man in the world.