Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Panama (Agenzia Fides) - Catholic Church representatives and other sectors of society in Panama are concerned about the tense political climate particularly in this last period of the presidential campaign, and called on the population to keep calm, recalling the importance of voting. The note sent to Fides by a local source reports that the Archbishop of Panama, His Exc. Mgr. José Domingo Ulloa, in his homily on Palm Sunday celebrated in the Metropolitan Cathedral, called on all politicians who will be elected on May 4 to always put forward the common good of society and the protection of the most vulnerable. Mgr. Ulloa also reminded citizens that it is their duty to vote consciously, as it will be the responsibility of everyone to choose the best candidate.
The Episcopal Conference of Panama proposed to politicians to adhere to the Covenant of Ethics (see Fides 31/01/2013, 09/03/2013 and 10/01/2014) for mutual respect during the election campaign. The tension has grown in recent days because more than one political party has begun airing defamatory television commercials towards their opponents instead of the usual electoral propaganda, to the point that two national television channels have decided not to broadcast any electoral commercials, also because of the various violent clashes that have been carried out in the streets among supporters of opposing parties. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 15/04/2014)
