AMERICA/PARAGUAY - Bishops and religious together reflect on the ecological challenges in the country

Tuesday, 3 March 2020 human rights indigenous consecrated life bishops environment laudato sì

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Asunción (Agenzia Fides) - The Joint Assembly of the Episcopal Conference of Paraguay (CEP) and the Conference of Religious of Paraguay took place yesterday, March 2 to reflect together on the theme "The ecological challenge of Paraguay and Laudato Sì". The opening of the works was entrusted to Mgr. Edmundo Valenzuela Mellid, S.D.B. Archbishop of Asuncion, who focused his intervention on the Apostolic Exhortation of John Paul II "Vita Consecrata". Then Archbishop Adalberto Martínez, Bishop of Villarrica, President of the CEP, and Brother Laercio Ferreira, President of the religious of Paraguay took the floor.
Following, engineer José Ibarra presented his conference on the "ecological challenges of Paraguay and Laudato Sì" which was the reference point for the discussion. The "Laudato Sì", he said among other things, says that the natives are those who take care of the earth and the environment. However, in the Paraguayan reality, they are excluded and marginalized. According to technical studies, cited by the engineer, the natives do not occupy the land they should occupy because there are large companies and landowners who have taken possession. The departments of Canindeyú and Alto Paraná, lands where soybean is most cultivated, are the ones with the most land conflicts.
In the afternoon, Mauricio López Oropeza, Executive Secretary of the Pan Amazon Ecclesial Network - REPAM, presented the new Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis "Querida Amazonia". According to the information sent to Fides, the day was very useful to identify some common points of action and for reflection, in fact the conflict of the lands in Paraguay has long been unsolved and involves indigenous people, missionaries and local authorities. The day ended with the Eucharistic concelebration presided over by Mgr. Edmundo Valenzuela. (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 03/03/2020