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Pope Francisco asked on Thursday (24) that efforts be made to avoid the plight of Venezuelans facing a renewed crisis in the country and offered the help of the Church to overcome the " fears and fears "against migrants in Latin America.
As Francisco traveled Wednesday to Panama to participate in World Youth Day, Venezuela entered a new phase of political uncertainty, amid new protests against the government, killing 26 people.
In a statement sent by the Vatican on the sidelines of his first day of activities in Panama, Francisco said he supported "every effort to prevent the population from suffering more suffering."
The tension in Venezuela escalated after the proclamation of the interim president of Venezuelan President Juan Guaidó, with the support of the United States and the governments of 12 other countries in the region, such as the Brazil, Argentina and Colombia.
After that, President Nicolas Maduro announced the break of relations with Washington.
Although the pope avoids direct confrontation with Maduro, the leadership of the Venezuelan Catholic Church severely criticizes Chavismo, who has ruled the country for 20 years.
At the end of 2016, Francis sent an emissary to accompany the failure of the dialogue between the government and the opposition.
– Cree for Migrants –
Without speaking publicly about the Venezuelan crisis and its enormous impact on the region, the pope has dealt with other scourges of the continent that have more and more Catholics in the region. world: mbad migrations, feminicides and corruption.
Central theme of his trip, Francisco proposes the intervention of the Church in the migratory wave that drives Americans from Central America to the gates of the United States, as well as hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, suffocated by the economic collapse of their country.
"Thanks to its universality, the Church can offer this fraternal and welcoming hospitality so that the communities of origin and their destiny dialogue and help to overcome fears and fears and consolidate the links that migrations threaten to break" He said.
In a speech to the bishops of Central America, the Vatican leader said that the church should "welcome, protect, promote and integrate" the migrants.
His words resonate for many young people who traveled to Panama for the five-day meeting with the 82-year-old Argentine pontiff.
"If there is one person who can make a change" in favor of migrants ", it is he," said 20-year-old Guatemalan José Paz, whose family has emigrated to the states -United.
Even more "at the moment when all these themes are at their peak because we have not had direction, we have not had to face them," he added.
– A scourge against women –
The pope also warned about the "scourge" become feminicide on the continent, where 2,800 women are murdered each year, according to the Economic Commission for Africa. Latin America and the Caribbean. .
More than a plague, these crimes are "part of the highly badist culture," said Fatima Melendez, an 18-year-old Salvadoran, to AFP.
This economics student, who traveled exclusively to listen to the pope, said that in her country, women did not have the peace to do something as simple as walking down the street.
Feminicides add the action of "armed groups criminals", "drug trafficking" and "badual exploitation of minors" and other less minors, which exacerbate the situation. exodus of young people, denounced the religious leader.
Facing the claim of the "new generations", Francisco called for a greater commitment against corruption.
"This is an invitation to lead a life that shows that public service is synonymous with honesty and justice, and anonymous of any form of corruption," said the pontiff in the presence of the host president, Juan Carlos Varela. diplomats. According to experts, corruption is one of the practices that ruin Latin America and undermines confidence in democracy.
Brazilian entrepreneur Odebrecht and politicians and businessmen are one of the scandals most affected by the region.
The company admitted to having incurred US $ 778 million in expenses between 2011 and 2015 in Brazil, Angola, Argentina, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Mozambique, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.
The country that receives the pope was also the epicenter of the "Panama Papers" case in 2016, after disclosing documents attesting to a gigantic network of tax evasion and corruption around the world, through nebulous societies. created by a Panamanian office.
At the end of the day, Francisco will realize his first multitudinal act of the World Youth Day, in the coastal belt of the capital of the country. An estimated 200,000 people will participate in the WYD, which ends Sunday.
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