In the midst of the third wave of the pandemic, when many of our countries are on red alert, causing restrictions to tighten, we have to regret the manifestations of violence.

Fides Agency presents us with a crude and painful situation:

• In Colombia, the growing violence is carried out by gangs and armed groups. Bishop Rubén Darío Jaramillo calls it “a real war.” The bishop explained that “the different criminal groups want to seize strategic sectors where drugs pass through …”. In the last few days alone, some 200 people have left the area and another 500 thousand are trapped in combat sites.
• In Brazil, during 2020 the cases of torture in the Brazilian prison system almost doubled compared to 2019. Reports of cases of torture with physical attacks, humiliating and degrading treatment and / or violation of the right to health of the private population of freedom.
• In Ethiopia, due to the civil war that is punishing the population, it is found that more than 50,000 displaced people urgently need “food, non-food basic necessities, medicine, water, tents and psychosocial support. Teachers, administration experts and logistical support are also needed”.
• The Episcopal Secretariat for Central America in Honduras has launched an appeal to the migratory flows of Hondurans who are heading to the United States in caravans and who have been violently detained in Guatemala. The new caravan, of about 9,000 people, is fleeing poverty, lack of opportunities and the debris caused by the passage of two devastating hurricanes, Eta and Iota, which have further reduced the country to poverty.

This is our commitment

“To promote the culture of peace, being women peacemakers, educating in non-violence and supporting actions and projects in favor of peace, forgiveness and reconciliation” (Conclusions XV General Chapter, p. 21). And this challenges us to urgently seek ways and ways to weave reconciliation with the Church, with every person of good will.