An email believed to have been sent by Pope Francis to Argentinian legislator Gustavo Vera, head of the NGO «La Alameda» called on the government to avoid a «mexicanization» of Argentina, in reference to the violence caused by drug trafficking in the country.
The message allegedly sent by the Holy Father on February 21st, states: «I ask God to protect you and the people of La Alameda. Hopefully, we are in time to avoid the ‘mexicanization.’ I spoke to several Mexican bishops and it is frightening.» The Pope added: «Tomorrow, I will be leaving for a week to the Spiritual Exercises with the Roman Curia. A week of prayer and meditation will do me well.»
For his part, Vera said on a local radio station that La Alameda have made several complaints in the last two years regarding the problem, while expressing his regret that «justice is moving very slowly.»
«We have received a lot of information from our neighbors, who are terrified,» he added.
The Church in the country has denounced the rise in drug trafficking and violence, particularly in their Plenary Assembly on November 2013. The assembly drafted a document entitled «The tragedy of drugs and drug trafficking», in which they stressed «with pain and worry» the consequences of drugs and drug trafficking on society, in particular the most vulnerable.
Bishop José María Arancedo presented the message, saying: We do not wish to become like Mexico and Colombia, certainly we are not, but we must careful because we are no longer a passing point, rather of consumption.»
Several days ago, the Permanent Council of the Mexican Episcopate released a message entitled: «Stop the corrupt ones!» The statement denounced the situation of corruption and its consequences affecting the country.
