Bishop in Paraguay promises to “organize hope” to shoo away pandemic woes

A Catholic bishop in Paraguay has called on people not to lose hope amid the overwhelming challenges of corruption, mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic, lack of medicines and an increase in poverty for the second straight year throughout the country. 

"We have an obligation to 'organize hope' in Paraguay in order to leave behind the effects of the pandemic and put an end to the national epidemic of impunity, because corruption also kills," said Bishop Ricardo Valenzuela Ríos of Caacupé, in his long letter to the Paraguayan people, entitled "Let's organize hope".

The letter was published on December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Fides reported.

The day is of great religious significance, with people honoring the Blessed Mother by invoking her as "Our Lady of Miracles", Patroness of Paraguay, and by going on pilgrimage to her shrine in Caacupé. 

"It is a question of laying, through social and political commitment, the foundations in order to alleviate the suffering of the weakest and most destitute of the human community. This objective leads us to examine our reality and plan solutions," Bishop Valenzuela wrote in his letter. 

After the shock suffered by all humanity in 2020 with the pandemic, this year can be considered the time to recover from this negative life experience, the consequences of which are beginning to emerge in the field of physical and mental health, in the global economy and in that of every family, especially needy families, he explained.  

Many of the people who died from Covid could have been saved or would have lived longer if the government's reaction had been more effective and less weak, said Bishop Valenzuela asking that the right to health be respected for everyone, not just for the high-ranking members of the state.

No one is excluded from this mission

"According to the Christian conception, the raison d'etre of authority is to serve the people ... and not seek the first places", he said pointing to the many deaths which he charged were due to negligence and corruption.

"We must recover from this negative situation and take advantage of this harsh experience to change and make the world, and our country, more livable, a better place to share life and the goods that God has bestowed on everyone", said Bishop Valenzuela. 

He called on local people to "organize hope” and translate it into the concrete life of every day, in the interest of others, for human relationships, for social and political commitment and for ecclesial life.

"With the pandemic, we have discovered that in addition to being rich, we are all poor at the same time", he said adding that true hope means that no one lets him or herself be plunged into pessimism. 

"It is necessary that politicians and governments put aside sectarianism, privileges, sometimes exaggerated, poorly obtained wealth and work for the common good, trying to adapt the country's economic model to one that has a human face,” he said. 

“Enough with the meanness, with the excessive accumulation of money and resources in a few hands, which has its counterpart in the exclusion of many. Everyone will remember that, at the beginning of the pandemic, with natural fright, many beautiful promises of reform were made, most of them forgotten!" Bishop Valenzuela said. 

He urged authorities to keep in mind their commitment "for faith, for the people and for their families" and that "the force of reason" should always prevail and not violence. 

Great challenges

Kidnappings, murders, extortions are "the sad reality that several families have endured and endure", Bishop Valenzuela said, so "it is necessary that we realize the need for change in our country as a generator of violence". 

"The country must change as soon as possible. We need leaders who are righteous, honest, healthy, trustworthy, committed to the truth, helpful and ambitious in the fulfillment of their plans and promises," Bishop Valenzuela said. 

"Paraguay, our beloved country, has great challenges ahead of us. Let us organize hope among all. No one is excluded from this mission and no one must prevent it," he said.

Earlier this year the South American country has been gripped by days of continuous demonstrations around the Congress and the presidential palace in the capital Asunción amid calls to impeach President Mario Abdo over the government's handling of the health crisis, corruption, stealing of millions of dollars earmarked for the pandemic and the lack of medicines.

The protests often ended in pitched battles with police using tear gas and rubber bullets and injuring demonstrators, many of them health workers and relatives of COVID-19 patients. 

The Paraguayan Bishops' Conference had then called for "the legitimate indignation of the population" to be heard and criticized the police for their excessive action, calling for the punctual supply of equipment, supplies and drugs necessary to meet the priority needs of the population affected by the disease".

Paraguay, a country of more than 7 million people, has so far recorded 463,479 coronavirus infections and 16,484 related deaths, according to WHO. 

The actual death toll from COVID-19 is likely to be higher than the number of confirmed deaths -- this is due to limited testing and problems in the attribution of the cause of death. 

Roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine has been slow with data showing 9.6 % of the population receiving the first jab. As of 2 December 2021, a total of 6,216,388 vaccine doses have been administered. 

Also related to the health crisis is the adverse effect the COVID-19 pandemic has on the national economy.

Analysts estimate that official data for the year 2021 will show an increase in poverty for the second straight year in Paraguay, reaching almost 30% due mainly to increasing inflation --  above 7%, which is very high for Paraguayan standards.

Total poverty in Paraguay could rise from 26.9% in 2020 to 29.2% by the end of this year and based on such figures, poverty could be affecting one third of the country's population after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.