Bishops of Ecuador celebrate law archive that cut rights to Catholics

The Bishops of Ecuador They expressed their satisfaction After the National Assembly decided to archive the project of the Organic Law of Freedom and Religious Equality that, as they say, “violated the rights of 70% of Ecuadorian citizens who confess Catholics.”

The law was presented in May 2023 by the Assemblyman of Citizen Revolution, Esther Cuesta, but was incorporated into the parliamentary agenda on March 28 of this year.

According to the newspaper Commercethe proposal contemplates “regulate the exercise of freedom of worship, guaranteeing respect for fundamental rights and avoiding practices that may promote gender inequality or religious intervention in political and electoral processes.”

In addition, the Law would allow imposing sanctions against religious organizations and its members, ranging from economic fines to the suspension of legal status, if they manifest politically in favor of any candidate, if religious spaces are used for meetings or acts of electoral campaign and even “if they promote behaviors contrary to fundamental freedoms”.

“Being a Catholic is a crime?” Asks the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference (CEE) In a statement released on April 1. “Catholics deserve this aggressive and derogatory treatment? Why weren’t we invited to participate in the work of elaboration of this bill? Is that a democratic attitude?” Write the bishops.

The episcopate recalls that Catholicism is not only the majority religion of Ecuador, but that much of the cultural wealth and national identity is linked to the Catholic faith.

In addition, he ensures that Catholicism is “a concrete way to restore social fabric and open opportunities” to many people who “recover their dignity and dreams thanks to the pastoral action of the Catholic Church.”

“The Christian faith does not live solely in the private sphere, it has an inalienable social and public dimension. Perhaps, unfortunately, there are people and groups to whom our action and our voice bother so much,” says the EEC.

“The content of this bill, in case it will be presented again, sooner or later, will violate not only the rights of the majority, but also of minorities,” he adds.

The bishops classify the project as “malicious, poor, dangerous and unconstitutional sectarian”, and thank all those who “have expressed their outrage and rejection these days, and have forced the archive of the same.” They also ratify that religious freedom is a constitutional right and that the secularity of the State does not mean that “limiting the actions of religious organizations” must be limited.

“This claim only reflects the desire to impose an ideological control contrary to the autonomy of religions, which have always been the last refuge of freedom, even under totalitarian regimes, where the defense of life, freedom and justice is seen as an offense and a threat,” says the Episcopate.

“Ecuador knows that it has the Catholic Church so that civil friendship and social fraternity, so longed for by Pope Francis, come true,” he concludes.