“On behalf of
the General Administration of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, based
in Rome, Italy, I would like to express our support to the President of the
Department of Justice and Solidarity of the Latin American Episcopal Council
(CELAM), Mgr. Pedro Barreto Jimeno, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Huancayo
and Vice President of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, and to the technical
team of the Project ‘Mantaro Revive’ for the death threats received over the
telephone on March 2, 2012”. This is how the letter of solidarity from the General
Administration of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) to Archbishop
Pedro Barreto begins. It is signed by Fr. Gilberto PIÑÓN GAYTÁN, Second
Assistant General, and is addressed to the “public opinion, political and civil
authorities of Peru”.
The text of the
letter, sent to Fides, recalls that the threats arrived 2 days after the
statement, “In the face of evil, one cannot remain silent” on the activity of
the Metallurgical Complex of La Oroya. The Archbishop had said in a press
conference that he was in favour of the resumption of the work of the complex,
provided it guaranteed the life, health and decent work for workers and the
population of La Oroya. “Faced with this intimidating fact - the letter
continues- that we have learned through different media, and after receiving
the official declarations of the Archdiocese of Huancayo, we express our
concern for the life of the Archbishop and all those involved in the project ‘Mantaro
Revive’, who fight for truth, peace and justice. We therefore call upon the
political authorities and police forces to carry out their investigations to
identify the perpetrators of these acts that denigrate the image of Peruvian
democracy. We hope that the competent authorities will restore peace and the
free development of civic and ecclesial organizations in Peru”. (CE) (Agenzia
Fides 13/3/2012)
