AMERICA/GUATEMALA - Bishops in the United States and Mexico: in times of pandemic "stop deportations in the name of the suffering people"

Thursday, 16 April 2020 coronavirus   emigration   episcopal conferences  

Guatemala City (Agenzia Fides) - One month after the beginning of the restrictions imposed to contain the Covid 19 pandemic, the Bishops of Guatemala note that some of the compatriots do not seem to have become fully aware of the seriousness of the situation, they are also worried about the many workers who live day by day and for the many fears that arise in this situation, in front of which they urge not to lose hope: "We can all contribute and collaborate in these moments so that solidarity remains high and is lived in the communities".
The Priests of the Catholic Church are particularly concerned by the huge number of compatriots expelled from the United States and Mexico, together with citizens of Honduras, following the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which prompted the acceleration of the deportation processes. "How is it possible that the United States and Mexican governments continue with these deportations during the crisis that affects us, in the context of national precariousness in terms of health services and strategies to contain the pandemic? Are they no longer useful to American society, particularly if they contracted the coronavirus? If the governments of the United States and Mexico have always shown themselves to be champions of the defense of human rights, why are they now demonstrating the opposite?" Guatemalan Bishops ask themselves, who underline: "The example that the two governments give to the whole world in this way is not to have the slightest sense of humanity".
In their declaration, sent to Fides, entitled "Subjected to the test, we keep hope", the Bishops note with sorrow that even in Guatemala we see the lack of solidarity on behlaf of the communities, which refuse to welcome back their expelled compatriots. Alone and without money, they are victims of discrimination and rejection, while when they sent the remittances they were greeted with great joy: "Is this the Christian spirit? Is this national solidarity?" they ask.
Given the seriousness of the situation, the Bishops raise their voices "to ask the governments of the United States and Mexico to stop the deportations in the name of the suffering people". "Both in the United States and in Mexico and also in Guatemala we consider ourselves for the most part Christians, therefore we appeal to this religious sentiment for our voice to be heard", they conclude. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 16/4/2020)


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