AMERICA/PARAGUAY - "Calm, prudence and dialogue regarding the Constitution" ask the Bishops

Friday, 3 March 2017 episcopal conferences   politics  

Asuncion (Agenzia Fides) - "Our country is going through a worrying situation of political and social conflict. The conflict is exacerbated by the risk of a confrontation and fragmentation of society, caused by the legal and political debate in relation to divergent interpretations of the Constitution and the next presidential elections in 2018. We urge, in this regard, to be calm, to be prudent and to carry out respectful dialogue, even when there are differences and discrepancies". This is how the concluding statement of the Bishops' Conference of Paraguay (CEP) begins, published at the end of its 214th Ordinary Plenary Assembly, held this week, sent to Fides.
"We need national consensus to prepare an 'agenda for the country', indicating the path, the objectives and the development tools that we want for our people. This consensus imposes us to listen to the cry of the poor, to define the urgencies and priorities to ensure progress and well-being of all, to eradicate scandalous inequality that harms dignity and social justice", write the Bishops.
After listing the most needy groups of the Paraguayan society, children, families, farmers, the text calls for social security and denounces the violence of armed groups and drug trafficking.
Although CEP does not express its view on the change of the Constitution, currently due to lively discussions of politicians and government, the Bishops call for respect of the country's Constitution, to ensure freedom, equality and justice. (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 03/03/2017)


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