Argentina: Cardenal asks the rulers not to start adjusting expenses for the weakest

The Archbishop of Córdoba (Argentina), Cardinal Ángel Sixto Rossi, addressed with concern two social realities in Argentina, which particularly affect retirees and children: the economic situation due to which some have to choose to eat or buy medicine; and online betting, with which some get rich, generating gambling addiction in the little ones.

The cardinal had mentioned the reality of retirees in Sunday’s homily December 1, when he described as “disguised euthanasia” the economic situation that sometimes forces people to choose “eat or take medication,” which for many translates into death.

Hours after that homily, it was learned that the National Government eliminated the free medication program that members of the Comprehensive Medical Assistance Program (PAMI) received.

In this way, those who earn more than 390,000 Argentine pesos (approximately 385 US dollars), have a prepaid medicine plan or a vehicle less than 10 years old, will no longer have access to remedies with 100% coverage. Those who require such coverage must process the subsidy that the social work has.

When the measure became known, the archbishop described it as “a slap in the face of news,” which hits retirees, and admitted that he would have preferred his homily not to be prophetic in this regard.

The elderly, along with children, are the two most punished groups in society, considered Cardinal Rossi, in dialogue with Telefe News Córdoba.

In the case of children, they are exposed to online gaming that “disguised as entertainment, is actually to profit a few at the expense of the illness of children and young people, which is certainly very serious,” he stated in reference to cases of gambling addiction.

“When a society mistreats both sides, the most vulnerable, which are children, young people and the elderly, it is a first sign of decadence of that society; and it is a sign that this has no future,” he stated.

“Why is it that they target retirees for zero deficit, to cut expenses a little?” questioned the cardinal, calling for “not starting (the adjustment) with the weakest” because this “does not do us any good as society”.

In this regard, he called on the rulers to “focus on the person”, especially “on the suffering person” and to “look for ways” to be able to control and ensure that the removal is not “a general rule where thousands of people fall into the trap.” “Our grandparents, with all that that implies, because our grandparents, our retirees, are suffering.”

“Anything that threatens the well-being of our grandparents is very sad, it is ugly,” he said.

“You listen to people, some grandparents who tell you that once a week they buy 100 grams of meat, enough to eat some meat,” he exemplified. “Others certainly have to choose between eating and (buying) medicine, which, the Pope says, is a hidden euthanasia,” he insisted. “In the long term, this implies death,” he summarized.