After the Mass for the novena in preparation for the feast of Our Lady
of Caacupé, celebrated in front of hundreds of young people
from across the country, His Exc. Mgr. Miguel Ángel Cabello Almada,
Bishop of Concepción, met young people and the community present at the
Sanctuary.According to information sent to Fides, Mgr. Cabello Almada paused to talk about the reality that people live in his diocese where the "Joint Action Force" (FTC, the ad hoc military group created to fight the guerrillas) is ordered not to face the criminal group that calls itself "the Paraguayan People Army" (EPP).
"We have talked with the FTC members several times and they tell us very clearly that there is a lack of decisions, they do not receive orders and are always exposed", said Mgr. Cabello.
Then he added, "there is something wrong", because many times FTC members reach certain places and they are ordered not to intervene, and end up being attacked, as happened with the eight soldiers killed in Arroyito, Concepción, last August (see Fides 08/09/2016).
The Bishop explained that the local Church is aware of the situation, because it is part of community life and the task of evangelization is also to share the concerns of the daily life of the population and the military to whom security is entrusted.
Mgr. Cabello also commented that if all resources used for the FTC had been intended for the benefit of the area, now there would be a more well-equipped hospital, schools completely set up and paved roads throughout the area, which are the basic needs. He highlighted with regret that the fight against poverty is just a simple expression.
According to data from the local press the FTC cost more than $ 107 million over the past three years, but the actions of criminals of the Paraguayan People Army (EPP) are becoming more frequent. There are still four people kidnapped in the north of the country.