AMERICA/MEXICO - "There is less violence, but there are still no social programs," said Mgr. Gallardo

Veracruz (Agenzia Fides) - The Bishop of Veracruz (Mexico), Mgr. Luis Felipe Gallardo Martin del Campo has recognized the work carried out by the authorities of the homonymous State with regards to safety and reported that there has been a radical change in two years of administration. The Bishop, however, noted that more effort is needed to eliminate "minor" crimes, when compared to the murders, assaults, robberies, kidnappings and extortion.
In this regard, he noted that even the Catholic Church was the victim of a kidnapping for ransom when, five months ago, two young seminarians were kidnapped. The director of the seminary in Veracruz received a ransom demand in order to release the two seminarians.
In the note sent to Fides, the Bishop, without offering further details on the case, explained that he informed the governor Javier Duarte de Ochoa in a meeting held last week. "We have also suffered a kidnapping which fortunately did not end badly. The two seminarians were released thanks to the military intervention of the Navy."
The governor has pledged to listen to the demands of the Catholic Church. Mgr. Gallardo Martin has stressed the need for social programs that promote a culture of legality, non-violence and family harmony. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 21/05/2013)