24.01.2018, Lima.
Latin America “suffers from inhumane liberal capitalism”, Pope Francis said in Peru on January 21 at the end of his visit to Latin America, the Mitre information portal reported.
The head of Vatican ended his visit to Latin America with a mass in the Peruvian capital, which was attended by the President of Peru Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and about 1 million believers from across the country. Addressing the believers, Pope Francis urged Peruvians not to be indifferent to those deprived, and he condemned “globalization and indifference”.
According to La Nación, the Pope emphasized the existence of “needless people”: in cities, some people can earn a living for themselves and their families; however, the problem is that, according to Pope Francis, many people are “non-citizens”, “semi-citizens”, “needless people”, who remain sidelined, live on the outskirts of cities, and lack living conditions compatible with human dignity.
“I am sorry to see so many children’s and adolescents’ faces among these ‘needless people’,” he stressed.
Prensa reported that, while in Peru, the Pope addressed the issue of corruption in Latin America several times; he called it “a social virus” attacking the democratic basis of the region.
The head of the Vatican recalled the example of “the Peruvian phenomenon” where all the presidents of Peru who governed since 2001 have been connected with the Odebrecht corruption case.
For many years, the Brazilian Odebrecht company bribed state leaders, ministers, and high-ranking officials in order to secure governmental contracts, the cost of which was so inflated that it allowed the company to receive super-profits. Currently, the presidents of Peru, Columbia, and Panama are being accused of taking bribes from Odebrecht, whose head has been convicted and sentenced to 19 years in prison.
The Infobae information portal reported that the President of Peru Pedro Pablo Kuczynski had some unpleasant minutes as he walked with Pope Francis to the airplane: when he tried to kiss the Piscatory ring, the head of Vatican withdrew his hand.
In late December 2017, thousands of people protested in the capital of Peru against President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski’s decision to pardon the former President of Peru Alberto Fujimori who is serving his 25-year sentence for crimes against humanity including the organization of “death squadrons”. The demonstrations were violently suppressed.
Pope Francis visited Latin America for the sixth time; the visit lasted 7 days. The Pope visited a number of cities in Chile and Peru.
Editorial comment
Corruption is not a phenomenon that emerged “on its own” and spreads like a virus; it is a convenient tool for the trans-national oligarchic circles associated with the US to promote their interests not only in Latin American countries but also in a number of other territories. Elites, which assist in robbing their countries for personal gain, are well controlled, and they can be removed any time.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
