AMERICA/MEXICO - “The poor are the ones who pay the price of corrupt politicians” Bishops denounce

Wednesday, 18 February 2015

Mexico City (Agenzia Fides) – “Corruption is a temptation for everyone, Pope Francis has said, observing that the poor are those who pay the price of corrupt politicians, businessmen and church men who neglect pastoral duties. Hospitals without medicine pay, patients without treatment pay, children without education pay (...). When there is corruption, even the poor risk losing their values when they are forced to respect laws and customs in contrast with their principles". These are the opening words of a statement made public yesterday by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Mexico (CEM) and sent to Fides with the title “Stop corruptos!” (Stop Corrupt Persons!),.
The Mexican Bishops use harsh words to express concern for the situation in the country: "Already in a message 5 years ago we denounced that corruption is a form of violence which penetrates structures of public service and becoming criminal organizations, because it forces citizens to pay a ‘bribe’ to obtain a free service or benefit ".
The Bishops’ document proposes a solution: "It is necessary to combat all together this serious evil in various ways, with law reforms, with the creation of coordinated institutions able in real time to detect, investigate and change situations which favour corruption; institutions able to ensure that those guilty of corruption are properly punished and pay compensation for the harm caused".
The text concludes with a call to the authorities: "Making our own the concerns of our people, we urge legislators, government at all levels, political parties to make resolute and committed efforts to eradicate corruption which causes so much suffering and undermines trust, a fundamental value for social peace and progress. The gravity of the problem demands radical and immediate solutions not simply ‘maquillage’ which is no longer convincing and only worsens the frame of mind ". (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 18/02/2015)


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