Peru bishops support 'March for Life' rally

By John Waters

In a message to the March for Life event, which took place on Saturday in the capital city Lima, the Bishops' Conference of Peru pointed out that unborn life is still protected by the Constitution of Peru, stating that “"It is contradictory and inconsistent that, while Peruvian society fights crime, murder, kidnapping, and femicide and seeks to end the killings, there are still movements and organizations with strong economic funding that promote and attack the conceived. A totally innocent and defenceless being who cannot defend himself against his aggressors.”

An estimated 800,000 people marched through the streets of Lima to promote a pro-life culture in Peru. The Constitution of Peru of does not explicitly mention abortion. Rather it refers to the right of the unborn to be treated legally as a born person. Abortion is permitted only when the pregnancy puts the mother’s life or health at risk. Women who seek abortions for other reasons can be imprisoned for a maximum of two years. Those who perform the abortions can be imprisoned for up to four years. Contraception is available in the country, but not to adolescent, unmarried couples.

The message began by reminding the assembled crowd that the right to life is the first right of a person “Because it is a fundamental right and the basis of all others.” Because of this, life cannot depend upon a human decision.

The message continued with the words “We must be careful and denounce any public policy that does not take into account the one conceived, because life starts from conception and our political Constitution protects it and fosters it without discrimination or social conditioning" before concluding with the observation that societies which do not defend unborn life will, ultimately, face their own ruin.

A message was also sent to the March for Life taking place in the United States of America, echoing the words of Pope Francis when he visited Peru “Do not let hope be stolen. Let us work together!”