Peruvian Church calls for political transparency and protection of human lives

By Sr. Nina Benedikta Krapić, VMZ

Archbishop Miguel Cabrejos of Trujillo, the president of the Peruvian Bishops' Conference, sent out two letters in which he strongly condemned the crime that occurred in a mining company in northwestern Peru and addressed the corruption scandals rocking the country.

Murders of miners

Ten workers were murdered in an attack carried out by gunmen on Saturday, 2 December. The attackers reportedly entered the headquarters of the La Poderosa mining company in Pataz province, La Libertad region, and according to initial reconstructions, 23 workers were kidnapped and taken to an artificial tunnel where they were exposed to a detonation.

Seven security guards and three workers, all aged between 20 and 30 lost their lives, while 13 people were injured.

Possible motives for this horrible crime are clashes with illegal miners. Regional prefect Carolina Velasco, according to LaPresse, says that the attack was orchestrated in response to the measures adopted by the company against illegal gold mining.

So far in 2023, there have been at least 26 murders over the control of illegal mines among criminal gangs, both domestic and from other parts of the region.

Human life is above everything

The Archbishop of Trujillo sent out a letter in which he called for the protection of human life above all.

"How is it possible for one human being to take the life of another in such a cowardly way? Is the lust for money or power above the sacred value of human life?” he wrote.

He called on the central government, police and judicial authorities to “investigate this cruel murder”. The Archbishop urged them to “identify those responsible and punish them in an exemplary manner, applying the full force of the law, because the right to life is above everything.”

He expressed the solidarity of the Church to the families and victims and promised closeness with permanent prayers.

Call for transparency

In a separate letter, Archbishop Cabrejos addressed the “extreme situations” that the country is currently facing, which are “breaking down democratic institutionality," which is important for everybody but above all for the “care of the poorest and most vulnerable.”.

The Archbishop expressed his deep concern for the serious situation reported in the media on “the crisis in the Public Prosecutor's Office.”.

He highlighted that it “generates deep consternation among the Peruvian people," since this State body “must guarantee with preventive actions the prosecution of all crimes, the defence of truth, and legality.".

Therefore, he called on the authorities for transparency and correctness in public actions, saying it is shocking for all Peruvians that corruption continues to erode the institutions.

“Peru urgently needs its authorities to show transparently that they are free of this terrible scourge," urges the president of the Episcopal Conference.  He also called for transparency in the exercise of authority, which must be ethical, free from any interests, and “watching over human dignity and the good of all Peruvian citizens.”.

Christians called to actively fight corruption

In his letter, Archbishop Cabrejos recalled Pope Francis’ message posted on his X account, @Pontifex, on 9 December this year. The whole of society is called upon “to make a concrete commitment to combat the cancer of corruption which, with the illusion of quick and easy profits, in reality, impoverishes everyone," the Pope posted.

The Archbishop also recalled that the Synthesis Document of the recent First Assembly of the Synod on Synodality affirms that Christians have a duty to actively engage in building up the common good and that all are co-responsible for this task.