AMERICA/COLOMBIA - Threats against the Bishop of Buenaventura in a context of increasing violence and reaction of the Episcopate

Friday, 5 March 2021 violence poverty human rights bishops

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COLOMBIA

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Buenaventura (Agenzia Fides) - "We express solidarity, closeness, affection and support to our brother Bishop of this diocese, Mgr. Rubén Darío Jaramillo Montoya, following threats to his integrity and his life, to which he has long been the object, he and others who are at the service of the community. We extend our solidarity to the various communities of the territory that he accompanies with pain". This is what the Bishops of the Pacific and Southwestern Colombia write, who met from 2 to 4 March in the city of Buenaventura, a Diocese governed by Bishop Jaramillo Montoya, to examine the serious problems that this area suffers from.
The Bishops of Apartadó, Quibdó, Itsmina - Tadó, Buenaventura, Tumaco, Guapi, Popayán, Tierradentro, Pasto, Ipiales, Cartago, Buga, Palmira and Cali, write in their communiqué, sent to Fides: "We have had the opportunity to approach the realities of uncertainty, poverty, pain, death and despair caused by the confluence of situations of a different order that we perceive, unfortunately, and denounce as experiencing rapid growth, namely drug trafficking, increasing number of armed groups, corruption, extortion, loss of faith and values, inefficiency of large public and private sectors as well as the ill-treatment inflicted at the common home".
Faced with this difficult reality, the Bishops reiterate: "as Pastors, we do not resign ourselves to accepting these situations, on the contrary, we commit ourselves and urge the rulers and the entire population to work decisively in search of global, short and medium term solutions, which make possible a real transformation of this sad and distressing reality. We will continue to be facilitators of dialogue and peace".
Citing the Lenten call for an integral conversion and the invitation of Pope Francis to listen to the cry of the poor, the Bishops conclude their statement by invoking the intercession of St. Joseph, so that he may also be a father to all those who are pilgrims in the lands of the Pacific and southwestern Colombia, giving grace, mercy and courage and defending them from all evil. (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 5/3/2021)