"Amid Protests, Colombian Catholics on Side of Poor" National Catholic Reporter

Demonstrators participate in a protest against poverty and police violence May 4 in Bogota, Colombia. (CNS/Nathalia Angarita, Reuters)

 https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/amid-protests-colombia-catholics-emphasize-theyre-side-poor

"As protest after protest has crowded the streets of Colombia's major cities in recent weeks, Catholic Church leaders in the country have been showing support for some of the protesters' demands, while also trying to help them dialogue with the government.

The wave of demonstrations began on April 28, after President Iván Duque proposed an unpopular tax reform measure that has been criticized by labor unions, social movements and students. Analysts said the bill would raise taxes for segments of the working class, while large corporations and the upper classes would be less affected..."The media is generating much confusion," he said. "A few acts of vandalism during protests have appeared with great visibility, but serious cases of police brutality have not."

Juliana Triana, a researcher at University Minuto de Dios' Fuego Nuevo Center and a signatory of the document, said its writers wanted to speak out.

"Usually people wait for the hierarchy," said Triana, who helps educate pastoral leaders. "But we wanted to show with our letter that we’re also the church and we can give our opinion."

Hernandez cc.jpg

Heyner Hernández, a Colombian theologian who signed a statement about the recent protests in the country (Courtesy of Heyner Hernández)

Triana said there is a lot of political polarization in the country at this moment, mostly between Duque’s supporters — who identify not only with him, but especially with his ally, former President Álvaro Uribe — and the supporters of Sen. Gustavo Petro, who has endorsed the marches.

"We'd like to reduce polarization and move away from the idea that we’re enemies of each other," she said. "What we really need is to generate human dignity and to serve the poor."

Theologian Heyner Hernández was one of the letter's editors. He said he thinks the statements from the bishops' conference have shown an "excessive delicateness," although they have addressed issues with Duque's reforms.

"Someone had to denounce the excesses of the repressive police actions, someone had to criticize social injustice," said Hernández. "We needed more evangelical vehemence in the denunciation of corruption."

Hernández also criticized Colombian media outlets for the way they have covered the protests, often skewing coverage against the protestors.

"The media is generating much confusion," he said. "A few acts of vandalism during protests have appeared with great visibility, but serious cases of police brutality have not."

Eduardo Campos Lima

Eduardo Campos Lima holds a degree in journalism and a doctorate in literature from the University of São Paulo, Brazil. Between 2016 and 2017, he was a Fulbright visiting research student at Columbia University. His work appears in Reuters and the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S. Paulo

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PEOPLE | Amid protests in Colombia, Catholics emphasize they're on the side of the poor