Church in Argentina calls for social balance in reform debate!

Church in Argentina calls for social balance in reform debate!

The Argentine Church has made a sensational appeal to President Javier Milei over his strict reforms to tackle the country's debt. In an interview with the German Catholic News Agency (KNA), the Archbishop of Mendoza, Marcelo Daniel Colombo, underlined the urgent need to take into account the social impact of austerity measures. The poorer sections of the population in particular, including pensioners and people without a permanent job, suffered greatly from these reforms. Colombo called for a more sensitive political debate and urged the use of respectful language in politics to maintain institutional integrity, such as kathpress.at reported.

Painful memories of the dictatorship

Colombo, who has been Archbishop of Mendoza since 2018 and previously served in various episcopal positions, recalled Argentina's dark history under the military dictatorship (1976-1983). He pointed out that the Bishops' Conference attached importance to the archives from this period and wanted to make them available for inspection by relevant actors. “Reconciliation requires self-criticism,” he said, regretting that many of those involved in the repression were uncooperative. Colombo called on Europe and South America to use the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement for the benefit of all to promote balanced growth.

Further information about Marcelo Colombo, including his diverse experiences and academic degrees, demonstrate his committed role within the Catholic Church. He was appointed bishop in 2009 and has since worked tirelessly for social justice. Despite the current challenges, he remains optimistic about a future visit by Pope Francis to his homeland, which would be important for both the church and the population Wikipedia reported.