Agenzia Fides

Panama City (Agenzia Fides) - The Episcopal Conference of Panama expressed its concern at the approach of politicians and for the comparison created among them, dominated by aggressiveness and intolerance. The Church has launched an appeal for peace and the signing of an Electoral Ethics Pact.
The Bishops presented the initiative in a statement published at the end of the meeting of the Episcopal Conference, recently concluded. "Now the conscious participation of citizens becomes essential - the statement says- before the political vices as the long campaigns, the buying and selling of votes, the false promises, the discrediting of the contenders, unfair competition and fanaticism."
The statement, sent to Fides Agency, highlights as one of the causes of the situation, the lack of a sincere and open dialogue, and proposes as an urgent initiative to conclude an "Electoral Ethics Pact" with the goal to celebrate in 2014 a democratic electoral process, with all the guarantees, in a context of transparency and mutual respect. This Pact will have to engage not only political parties but also the mass media and other groups of the Panamanian society.
It is not the first time in recent months, that the Bishops are silent about the country's political life. In February, the Church had to mediate between different groups in a conflict that threatened to block parts of the country (see Fides 29/02/2012). (CE) (Agenzia Fides 09/07/2012)