Holy See condemns attempted coup in Bolivia

By Linda Bordoni 

The Apostolic Nuncio to Paraguay has joined the international community in "deploring and condemning" the attempted coup in Bolivia and he called for equitable and just development for the people.

The Presidential Palace in the capital La Paz was stormed by soldiers on Wednesday, led by military leader General Juan Joè Zuniga who said he wanted to “restructure democracy.” He was later arrested and investigations are ongoing into the dynamics of the subversive action.

Speaking at the 54th ordinary session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Asunción, Archbishop Vincenzo Turturro denounced the attempted coup and pointed to a socio-economic context of inequality and widespread poverty across Bolivia and the entire region, a context, he said, in dire need of integral and sustainable development.

Integral development of every person

Highlighting that a third of the local population lives in poverty, the nuncio said the region cannot aim for economic growth "without investing in the integral development of every person, especially the poor and vulnerable."

Archbishop Turturro stressed that the most disadvantaged individuals should be at the heart of responsible actions to create a more just and equitable society.

Noting that "inequity is not inevitable", he said the situation requires collective will and determination, with synergistic participation in solidarity approaches for the different regional realities and sustainable agreements that respond "to the interests of all and not just a few."

Migrants and refugees

He also focused on the plight of migrants and refugees throughout the region and reiterated that solutions must address both the causes of massive population movements and the needs of host communities.

The path forward, he said, involves "prioritizing policies of welcome and integration," aiming for the "good" of the region.

Finally, Archbishop Turturro said it is necessary to foster a culture of life and fraternity and to uphold the importance of fundamental rights, including freedom of religion and faith, as well as the promotion of education, work, social inclusion, and peace.