AMERICA - Colombia-Ecuador Conflict: The Church calls for serenity, dialogue, and peace: “In a war, everything is lost and nothing is gained.”

Caracas (Agenzia Fides) - The most highly qualified representative of the Catholic Church in Venezuela, Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino, has made an appeal to the President of the Republic, the authorities, and the people, asking that they maintain, “a great calm and serenity, as there are many issues that have been placed on the line,” and advising that the parties involved meet and dialogue with the support of mediators, in efforts to avoid a war. He asked that they resolve differences, “through peace, dialogue, and meetings to tame the uneasiness of the Venezuelan people.”
In an interview with Televen, the Cardinal affirmed that “every Christian, whether he is a governor, a soldier, a lawyer, a working man, etc., should always have the desire to work for peace and never make decisions, based on tendencies or urges, that can lead to a situation of conflict or violence.” As Archbishop of Caracas, he asks that all Venezuelans “do all they can to work for peace” and make efforts to resolve the truly serious problems of the country, such as delinquency, violence, unemployment, illnesses (e.g. dengue, yellow fever, etc.), and education.
Cardinal Oscar Madariaga, Archbishop of Tegucigalpa (Honduras), in an interview with the newspaper “Encuentro de la Iglesia de Santiago (Chile),” shows his concern for the crisis and states that “life is the supreme value. Life is sacred and should be respected. And when the war drums begin to roll, it is an obvious sign of imminent and severe danger against life. I believe that is why the first reaction has been to pray to the God of life, that He may grant us His light and His grace in the minds of those responsible for the fates of nations, that they may avoid any conflict that can possibly bring war.”
Cardinal Madariaga is extremely concerned for the crisis between Ecuador and Colombia, especially considering the fact that “a country has mobilized troops and tanks, when these means should be used only as a last resort, not as the first reaction. There are international courts that exist precisely as a primary recourse, without reacting with these kinds of attitudes that are so dangerous.” With this in mind, he asks that all authorities seek dialogue and “that all parties may reflect on the fact that in a war, everything is lost and nothing is gained.” (RG) (Agenzia Fides 7/3/2008; righe 29, parole 390)