The Peruvian Episcopal Conference pronounced, this Thursday, August 18, on the political crisis that Peru faces due to the clashes between Legislative power and the Executive power of the current management.
Monsignor Miguel Cabrejos indicated that the population, at present, asks for social consensus to get out of the crisis, as well as to prioritize a political reform for the common good that allows recovering “trust, credibility and hope” in the powers of the State.
“Although the organs are autonomous. The Church is all of us. The echo of society and social consensus asks to take a step forward to get out of the political crisis, prioritizing a pending political reform for the common good and to regain confidence, credibility and hope”, said the priest Miguel Cabrejos.
For his part, Cardinal Pedro Barreto pointed out that the Church is betting on being a bridge for dialogue both in the Executive and in the Legislative, because “we cannot continue in this political, social and economic instability”.
“The common good of Peru is sought. The Church has opted to be a bridge to dialogue and seek new paths. We all agree that we cannot continue in this political, social and economic instability. It is a strong call to seek ways as civil society. We will always be like hands outstretched because we are interested in how to respond to this social clamor of the poorest”, explained the ecclesiastic Pedro Barreto.
The statement -titled “In the face of political and social deterioration, let us seek an urgent and creative solution to the crisis”- first describes the current context with the following words: “Alarming levels of political, social, economic and moral decomposition, to which are added mistrust of a large percentage of the population, the loss of credibility and governability”.
He adds that this crisis manifests itself “in an internal struggle” between the Executive and the Legislative that damages democracy, divides Peruvians and can ultimately lead to “uncontrollable levels of violence.”
Along these lines, he added that “it is shameful and disappointing that Peru is one of the four countries that register the highest rate of perception of corruption in Latin America, according to the Latinobarómetro report in 2021.”
The position of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference is given within the framework of the six investigations that President Pedro Castillo faces for the alleged crimes of criminal organization, aggravated collusion and obstruction of justice; in addition to the questioning of a sector of the Congress of the Republic that promotes a constitutional complaint against the president for treason against the country.
