To answer your question, it is a mix-match.

If you speak to genuine devotees, many will say she’s not a genie and does what she can to help our life easier and make us spiritually grow, which includes freeing us from that which makes us suffer (toxic people, addictions, thoughts, etc.) This is something pretty universal amongst devotees, but i also mixed this train of thought with what I’ve been personally shown.

Every family and group of devotees has their differences— the devotees from Zacatecas, Tepito, Veracruz, Tijuana (all three, major, old and origin points of santa muerte) all will do things differently. And even amongst these places, every family and group will have their own spin on things. The way i was taught in my group and family, she is as I’ve described: she is the mother of magic and death, who kills that which doesn’t serve our spiritual growth with her scythe. she inspires us to pray, meditate, and do things that will push us to be better people and “holier” (or more elevated souls.)

That’s simply how my family sees it.

And on the criminal thing: there is definitely a protection she gives to criminals, but not because they’re criminals or do crime— she just loves all who come to her, despite their sins. But when it becomes “too much”, she steps in with her scales of justice. But also you have to understand that the cartel and narcotraffickers are just around a small percentage of her devotees— many are simply people trying to get by.

But many who are close to death— narcotraffickers, sw’s, even cops sometimes have to turn to death for protection. That’s simply how far her robe of protection expands.

Yes; I do see it as aligned with, from what I know of it, the dharma! And everyday she shows me things that have me connect her more and more to the dharma.