Sergio Rubin
04/30/2020 - 17:34
- Clarín.com
- Society
In a bold proposal, the Church expressed its willingness to house prisoners for minor crimes or risky illnesses who are being sentenced by house judges to the threat of the coronavirus spreading in prisons. Although the places to host them are not yet defined, among the possibilities being considered are residences for spiritual retreats and homes for lodging .
The proposal was made by the president of the Prison Ministry –which depends on the national Episcopate-, Monsignor Juan Carlos Ares, one of the auxiliary bishops of the archdiocese of Buenos Aires, in statements to the newspaper La Nación. But perhaps because it adds anxiety to the inmates and the places are not yet ready - they inflict in ecclesiastical media - he did not want to talk about the issue with the press again.
The truth is that the proposal was not denied. There was no lack of those who considered it understandable given the long-standing concern of the Church about the poor conditions in the prison units , to which was added the risk of a massive contagion of the Covid-19. They even remembered that the parishes of the Buenos Aires villas and the GBA are offering accommodation to the elderly who live in overcrowding.
A few hours after a riot broke out in Devoto's prison on Friday demanding releases from the coronavirus risk , as happened in other prisons, the Prison Ministry issued a statement asking for “extraordinary measures” to alleviate the prison situation and He offered to participate in the dialogue table that was established, but was not called.
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Watch the special"As much as I am imprisoned, a person does not lose his dignity ," Bishop Ares said during the interview. And he added: "There is a lot of pressure on the Judiciary. The companies want the sentences to be carried out and that is fine. But it is necessary that the Legislative and Executive powers also act, with extraordinary measures," he again claimed.
Ares made a difference between "prisoners for crimes against integrity, such as rape, and those detained for causes with lesser sentences or who actually present risky diseases against the coronavirus ." And he distanced himself from requests to release prisoners for corruption, such as Amado Boudou and Ricardo Jaime.
"In the province of Buenos Aires there are 52,000 prisoners, half of the country's prisoners and no new units are being built. Only María Eugenia Vidal inaugurated a new prison in Campana for prisoners who receive their first sentence, but that is not enough ", Ares said "Efforts were made, but in the province of Buenos Aires the number of prisoners doubled," he said.
And he rounded off: "As the Pope says, this pandemic makes us realize that we are fragile, we are all in the same boat and no one is more important than the other. We all have to row together. And what happens in prisons it is a reflection of what society lives ".
The Church has always had chaplains and volunteers in prisons who are responsible for bringing spiritual assistance to prisoners, as well as evangelical pastors following the mandate of Jesus in the Gospel: "I was imprisoned and you visited me."
The release of prisoners - around 700 - caused great outrage in broad sectors of society, especially since inmates serving time for rape and murder were included.
DD
