Actually not as crazy as you'd think. Cartels are very superstitious, as are many people in Columbia (and other places with a cartel presence). Syncretist folk religions like Santeria and Santa Muerte pop up all the time, so even if you don't believe, it makes a certain amount of sense to try and assure people that you have things under control spiritually. As weird as it sounds, encouraging more normal forms of prayer directly discourages the ritual behavior of narco cults, and I wouldn't be surprised it has tangible psychological benefits in reducing people's toleration of the cartel.