Chilean bishops call for respectful and transparent campaign season

Santiago, Chile, Sep 2, 2009 / 11:50 am

The executive committee of the Bishop’s Conference of Chile, has issued a statement calling on presidential and congressional candidates to carry out a respect and transparent campaign season for the elections this fall.

“The upcoming Bicentennial of our Independence is an opportune time to recover the best of our republican traditions: those important values that constitute our identity and that cannot be left to the mercy of noisy and passing minorities,” the bishops said.

“The Catholic Church does not identify herself with any one political party. For this reason, she has no candidates and is not represented by any political party or sector,” the bishops recalled.  They encouraged voters to carefully study the proposals of each candidate and to cast their votes for those who support the values that should be at the forefront of Chilean culture, society and law.

“Political candidates still have time to give the country a peaceful campaign” marked by civility and respectful debate.  “The country wants to see candidates in honest dialogue with voters. We need proposals that are new and bold and at the same responsible and realistic,” the bishops added.

“Chileans long for a clean and honest campaign free of aggressiveness and disparagement, a campaign that is respectful, with lofty debates that are always geared towards the reality of the people, especially the poor, their problems, needs and hopes,” they said.