CATHOLIC 4 LIFE: Stray puppies killed and tramps removed as bullet-ridden street in Mexico's murder capital is put on 24-hour lockdown for Pope Francis visit!

Creative: Murals of the Pope, including one of him wearing a sombrero with the words ‘Viva Mexico’ (Long Live Mexico) around its wide brim, have been painted over the gang graffiti which once covered the walls in the dangerous district

Murals of the Pope, including one of him wearing a sombrero with the words ‘Viva Mexico’ (Long Live Mexico) around its wide brim, have been painted over the gang graffiti which once covered the walls in the dangerous district

Stray puppies killed and tramps removed as bullet-ridden street in Mexico's murder capital is put on 24-hour lockdown for Pope Francis visit

Workers have spent two months revamping the places Pope Francis will visit in the Ecatepec district
Murals have been painted over gang graffiti, stray dogs have been put down and the homeless have been relocated
More than 300,000 people are expected to line a newly-resurfaced road, which will be guarded by armed marines
Area is controlled by the brutal Knights Templar drugs cartel and experiences three times the national murder rate

This is the murderous street in the most violent district of Mexico City that has been given a makeover in preparation for the visit of Pope Francis.

Gang graffiti on the notorious Avenida Insurgentes has been painted over with adoring murals, homeless people have been removed, and stray puppies killed.

This will give the pontiff a very different impression of the road in Ecatepec district, on the outskirts of Mexico City, which boasts three times the national homicide rate and eight times the Mexican average for female murders.

Cover-up: Workers have spent months turning the run-down district into a place worthy of the pontiff ahead of his visit

Colourful: The walls have been adorned with murals, the road has been resurfaced and cleared of stray dogs and the homeless because the residents are 'devout people and we want to show him our love' explained the head of Ecatepec’s Social Development Ministry

The newly-resurfaced road has been cleared of homeless people and Central American migrants for five blocks on either side.

It will have heavily-armed marines positioned every ten yards to control a crowd expected to exceed 300,000 adoring Catholics.

The packs of stray dogs that attacked small children were rounded up by the dog-catcher in January and killed at the pound.

All of this is part of a bid to impress the pontiff, who specifically requested to visit the area.

'If you had a guest coming to your house, you’d sweep the floor,' said Arturo Osornio, the head of Ecatepec’s Social Development Ministry.

‘Our district has many problems, but the residents are devout people and we want to show him our love.'

But he defended the extreme measure of killing large numbers of street dogs.

‘Relocating them elsewhere would have had no effect’, said Arturo when questioned about the local authorities' radical decision.

‘They would have made their way back here anyway and spoiled the day’.

The world’s first Latin American pontiff will hold mass on Saturday in the crime-ridden region of Mexico's capital city

Artistic: Murals have been painted on the walls in the district. This work of art shows the Pope wearing a cap and spraying 'magical' graffiti

Mural: The Pope will visit the district's most affluent Caracol neighbourhood, where gated communities have replaced the sprawling slums

Change: Other than the revamped route the Pope will take, little has changed in the district, which is home to three million people

For Norma Ponce, who has lived in Ecatepec for 35 years, the pope’s visit gives her hope for the future of her city.

‘I have seen so much death and violence during my time here that it makes me so happy to think that our suffering is in the thoughts of Pope Francis’, she told MailOnline, waving her Vatican flag beside her home’s electric fence. ‘It gives me hope for the future of our country’.

People will still have to watch their backs and lock up their doors, windows and cars at night

Gael Salazar, 24, Ecatepec resident

Pope Francis specified that a visit to Mexico would have to include the district as well as Juarez City on the Texas border - dubbed one of the deadliest places on earth.

But the murder rate in Juarez City pales in comparison to Ecatepec, who sees 36 killings every 100,000 people to Juarex City’s 29.

Far from the polished area deemed fit for the pope, life remains a daily hell for Ecatepec’s three million residents who face kidnap, extortion and violence.

Just 800 yards from the spot where the pontiff will deliver his speech in Fracción Las Americas, Sunday's Pope-friendly setting stands in stark contrast to the street usually racked by bloodshed.

‘The Pope’s visit isn’t going to stop the violence’, says Gael Salazar, 24, as he struggles to restrain the snarling pit bull terrier at his feet.

'All it means is that for one day there will be no robberies or murders in one small part of Ecatepec. People will still have to watch their backs and lock up their doors, windows and cars at night’.

Little interest: Gael Salazar, a resident of Fracción Las Americas, just 800 yards from the spot where the pontiff will deliver his speech, said the visit will not stop the violence and people will still have to 'watch their backs and lock up their doors' at night

Body count: The district has a murder rate of three times the national average - 36 per 100,000 people

Violence: The district's 3 million residents face kidnap, extortion and violence

Cosmetic: While a crowd of 300,000 is expected to turn out on Saturday, locals don't think the clean up will help the deep rooted problems in the area

Preparations: A sign placed above a main road welcomes the first Latin American pontiff to Ecatepec. Residents say this month's visit gives them hope for the future of their city and they are pleased they are in the Pope's thoughts

Clean-up: The newly-resurfaced road has been cleared of homeless people and Central American migrants for five blocks on either side

Improvements: Workmen are pictured working on the route the Popemobile will follow when the pontiff visits the district

Danger: Ecatepec district has a murder rate of women eight times that of the national average. Above, local women protest

Armed guard: The area will be under 24-armed guard for the Pope's visit - unlike most of the time

Back on the main street, in what seems like an alternate universe, Mexican artists have painted murals on walls alongside the motorway which were once covered with spray-painted gang insignia.

Pope Francis appears to cast magical spells in one, while another shows him sporting a sombrero with the words ‘Viva Mexico’ around its wide brim.

Jesus Jasso plans to chant: ‘Salt, Lime, Tequila; Pope Francis is the bringer of compassion and peace!’ as the pontiff’s vehicle rolls past.

He has his own tactic to ensure that he and his companions retain their front-row position.

‘We will stand in a line and hold a piece of string between us,’ he told MailOnline while his friends worked on their rallying call. ‘That way no one who arrives afterwards can get past us; unless they jump over it’.

The Mariachi Laguna group have also reserved their space on the roadside, and the eight-man band will play a medley of traditional tunes as the head of the Catholic Church rolls past.

‘We are so proud that Francis is visiting our home town’, said their lead trumpeter Juan Carlos, ‘finally Ecatepec will be famous for more than death and violence’.

Entertainment: The Mariachi Laguna group (pictured) has reserved their space on the roadside from where they will play traditional tunes

Excited: Local resident Jesus Jasso (centre) plans to chant: ‘Salt, Lime, Tequila; Pope Francis is the bringer of compassion and peace!’ as the pontiff’s vehicle rolls past

Front-row: To ensure they get the best view on the day, Jesus Jasso and his friends will gold a piece of string between them to stop anyone barging to the front, although he admits someone could just jump over it

Proud: Arturo Osornio (left), the head of Ecatepec’s Social Development Ministry, said residents want to show the Pope their love. He is pictured with local Norma Ponce, who says the pontiff's visit gives her hope for the future

Heavily-armed: Marines will be positioned every ten yards to control a crowd expected to exceed 300,000 adoring Catholics on the route

Security: The pontiff will arrive in an area 20 miles north of the centre via helicopter during his third day in the country, before travelling three miles in his bulletproof car. The route will be lined by marines (pictured)