AMERICA/PERU - Elections: Bishops concerned about serious signs of corruption and distrust in politics

Friday, 5 September 2014

Lima (Agenzia Fides) – Twenty one million Peruvians, including two million young people voting for the first time, will soon take part in an electoral consultation. On October 5 they will be called to elect thirteen thousand representatives who, in the next four years, will govern districts, provinces and regions. Aware of the importance of these elections to consolidate the democratic process and at the same time concerned about “mistrust and dissatisfaction regarding certain politicians and politics in general” which they sense in their communities, the Catholic Bishops of Peru have issued a pastoral reflection on the electoral process.
In the document, with the title “Servants of the common good”, a copy was sent to Fides, the Bishops write: “We are seriously concerned about the electoral scenario which is taking place in a social context with serious signs of corruption. Expressed by the high number of candidates whose moral precedents have led even to complaints and penal sentences. Ulterior concern comes from the intent of sectors connected with drug-trafficking, illegal mining activity, smuggling, human trafficking and other illegal activities, to position persons closely connected with them as local authorities. It is unacceptable that they even go as far as the physical elimination of political adversaries.”
The Peruvian Bishops, while affirming “only politics with a sense of ethics deserves credit ” and that “the exercise of power of government is given only for the community”, propose five criteria to follow “for a conscious and responsible vote”. First of all they call on the people not to vote for those who have disappointed their expectations “because they failed to do what they promised, or proved to be corrupt or are concerned solely about their own interests”. An important criteria for the Christian when voting is not to forget the poor: “politics must give priority to those who have less, because they cannot participate fully in the progress of the country”. Another important element is to know clearly who the candidate is (life style, possible penal precedents …) and what is his programme for government (making sure he promotes a life of dignity, the dignity of the family, religious freedom, inclusive education).
The last element indicated by the bishops regards the electoral campaign: “Many candidates, in order to be elected, offer the impossible and take advantage of people’s trust or urgent necessities, by means of gifts and various benefits. The realisation of the campaign generates therefore legitimate suspicion . Once elected will they use their position, to ‘recuperate the investments’ of their campaign with state money?”. The message from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Peru ends recalling that “the building of justice and peace in Peru is the task of all Peruvians and the elections are an occasion to go ahead with this building”. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 05/09/2014)


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