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Insecurity Reaches Guatemala
Churches
Insecurity in Guatemala has
reached such high rates that
forced churches to hire guards
to protect them from robberies
and assaults.
"It is a sad reality. Nobody
saves us from insecurity,"
Guatemalan Archdiocese Auxiliary
Bishop Gonzalo de Villa told
Prensa Libre daily.
Private agents were hired to
protect churches as Señor de
Esquipulas, La Merced, the
Basilica of Santo Domingo,
Cristo Rey parish church, and
the Metropolitan Cathedral, the
country´ largest Catholic
temple.
Assaults to tourists and
robberies of religious images,
parishioners´ alms, and vehicles
are some of the most frequent
incidents.
Crime rates reached such levels
that the religious authorities
are considering placing
surveillance cameras in the main
sanctuaries.
"All places are exposed to this
problem: residential and
outlying areas, businesses and
why not, the churches also," de
Villa said.
For the bishop, inequality is
the main cause for crime, and
while nothing is done to change
the situation, it will be
difficult to solve that problem.
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