Pataz tragedy: Cardinal Castillo in Rome expresses its immense pain for murder of 13 miners in Peru

Cardinal Carlos Castillo, Archbishop of Lima and Primate of Peru, expressed from Rome his “immense pain” for the kidnapping and murder of 13 miners at the hands of organized crime, a fact linked to illegal mining in northern Peru.

“It is an immense pain for me to address you today, knowing that thirteen of our brothers have been vilely killed in Pataz,” said the purple in a video posted on YouTube.

“I address you very sorry because I cannot be present at this time, since we are very close to the conclave, and tomorrow we are already locked up to choose the new Pope,” added the archbishop of Lima.

“Pope Francis always reminded us that solidarity and closeness to our people must be priority,” especially before this fact that makes our entire country suffer. “

After drawing attention to the authorities and asking for their help, Castillo commented that “our task is also to help promote our people to organize. The popular organization has always been fundamental for a country to progress, and, above all, it is in our hands.”

“I bless you from here, to all the families who must cry at their thirteen dead girls, precisely for working, for their lives, for their families,” he said.

“You will not kill”

For their part, the bishops of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference today published a communication in which they express their “deep sadness and dismay for these criminal acts of organized crime, which deeply hurt human dignity and social peace.”

“We deplore by energetically these abominable murders and invoke the authorities of the judicial and fiscal system that accelerate investigations and establish individual responsibilities, within the framework of due process,” they urged.

“As a church, we reiterate our call to build a society where life is respected, the dignity of every person is protected and development with justice, honesty and love of neighbor is achieved,” concluded the bishops.

Murder of 13 miners in Peru

The murder of 13 people in a mine in the town of Pataz, province of the region of La Libertad, has shocked Peru and places again the insecurity conditions in which many work.

The bodies of the 13 miners, of the powerful company, were found on Sunday, May 4, after being kidnapped on April 25, in an attack perpetrated by criminals linked to informal mining that dominates the area.

The mining company has denounced that illegal mining has taken over a large part of its facilities, despite the state of emergency and the deployment of 800 police officers in an operation carried out last week.

As reported BBCarmed attacks and deaths in Mines of Peru have increased and powerful denounced that there are already 39 “artisanal collaborators and workers finalized” by the criminal groups that control the area.

Peru has a great mining wealth. It is one of the largest gold producers on the planet and contributes about 4% of world production.

Many of the illegal mining farms are in the mountains or the jungle, where the forces of the order are not or have little presence.