reiterated its opposition to the establishment of the death penalty, as a
means to eradicate crimes, particularly murder.
In its weekly bulletin «Panorama Catolico,» the Church points out that «It is
not by taking the killer´s life that we give life back to the victim.»
«Society certainly has the legitimate right and inalienable duty to sanction
and punish delinquents, but there is a great distance between this
and its extension to the power to kill,» the Church added.
The Church´s position was clarified in the bulletin, after a congressman of
the party in power said he would present a draft law to establish the death
penalty, in face of the increase in crime.
Recently, Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso expressed opposition to this
measure.
The Church argues that the death penalty is not an «antidote, nor does it
avoid the action of murderers, but does bring irreparable consequences in its
application.»
