AMERICA/PERU - The Bishops: political will is needed for a real reform of the judicial and constitutional system

Wednesday, 25 July 2018 civil society   local churches   social situation  

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Lima (Agenzia Fides) - "It seems that there is a criminal and business-like culture in the judiciary": these are the very harsh words of the President of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference, Mgr. Héctor Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte, Archbishop of Trujillo, after his meeting on 18 July with the Commission for the Reform of Justice, appointed by the President of the Republic, Martin Vizcarra, after the confirmation of the acts of corruption involving some members of the National Judicial Council (CNM) and of the judiciary (see Fides 19/07/2018).
The Archbishop commented that there must be a political will to achieve a real reform of the judicial and constitutional system, which allows the change of laws and the organic regulations of the current judicial system. "We also need a reform of the composition of the National Judicial Council (CNM) and of the National Magistrates' Academy (AMAG), responsible for forming magistrates", underlined Mgr. Cabrejos Vidarte.
Yesterday, Parliament declared the CNM "in a situation of emergency situation" for 9 months, a measure with which it is possible to intervene for its total restructuring. Likewise, the head of the National Office of the Electoral Process was suspended from his post, again because of the irregularities previously verified. The task had been assigned by the CNM. According to data collected by Fides, after having learned these measures, the population is showing growing indignation for the spread of cases of corruption and appointments made only for friendship.
A few days ago, the Undersecretary of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, R.P. Guillermo Inca Pereda, had declared: "The seriousness of corruption, which today we see corroding our institutions, had already been underlined by the Pope, when he said: 'The thesis I raise is that it is difficult to turn back for the problem of corruption. I distinguish between sin and corruption. The sinner is a person who knows the limits, who makes mistakes. He is aware of being in the wrong. But the corrupt loses this compass and lives in another world, from which it is difficult to get out'."
The statements of Fr. Guillermo Inca Pereda were made following an initial proposal by the same parliament to suspend a member of parliament only for a few days for cases of corruption, instead of permanently revoking the office.
From the first day of government, the President of the Republic, Martín Vizcarra, said that his priority will be the fight against corruption and the strengthening of the democratic institutions of the country.
After the outbreak of the crisis, he ratified his firm commitment and said that he will face the scourge "at any price". He also announced that a series of changes will be implemented in coming days to reform the justice administration system because "there is no time to waste". In addition, President Vizcarra has appealed to the citizenry to assume a supervisory role, in order to prevent the cancer from being institutionalized, expressing its confidence that together the country will change. (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 25/07/2018)


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