SW News: Archbishop Carlos Castillo Mattasoglio of Lima stated that the Catholic Church has made several requests for dialogue so that authorities take into account the genuine needs of the poor as the situation in Peru continues to be stressful.
Over the past month, there have been violent protests against the country's president Dina Boluarte that have left at least 48 people dead.
After President-elect Pedro Castillo was deposed and taken into custody in December, the protesters are calling for the holding of fresh elections. As of December 30, the Ombudsperson's Office claimed that 22 civilians had been killed and more than 600 protesters and police officers had been hurt.
A socialist and trade unionist from one of the Andes' poorest regions, Pedro Castillo was removed from office in mid-December 2022 after attempting to dissolve the legislature. However, his supporters see him as a victim of the political and corrupt elites who control Peru's political scene.
Though the anti-government protests have been violently suppressed, marches have expanded to all of Peru's main towns, and last Thursday they also broke out in Cusco's tourism district.
Congress decided on December 20 to hold elections in April 2024 rather than the originally planned 2026. After February 28, 2023, the decision must be approved in a second round of votes at the following legislative session.
Monsignor Carlos Castillo Mattasoglio, the Archbishop of Lima, described Peru's reality to Vatican News as terrible due to growing divisions fueled by a lack of institutional cohesion, pervasive corruption, and the inability to adequately address the justifiable requests of the poorest citizens.
The destabilizing influence of people with ambitions and interests in the administration of the significant economic and financial resources of the nation was emphasized by Archbishop Mattasoglio. The prelate said that corruption and drug trafficking are two of the primary sins that have contributed to the impoverishment of significant portions of society and the increasing resentment among indigenous populations.
At the current meeting of the Bishops' Conference, the bishops of Peru have assembled specifically to discuss the prospect of making several proposals that might enable dialogue to be reopened or at least lessen the social gulf that has been formed.
The only way forward, according to Archbishop Mattasoglio, is to mediate conflicts and engage in constructive discussion while putting aside personal agendas, aspirations, and counterclaims. He concluded citing Pope Francis who had said in his encyclical, "This is the important thing. We must use every available tool to persuade the parties to define the key issues and to cooperate as brothers.”