Group of Catholic
Priests Publicly Endorse
the "No" Vote
Ninety two of the total
800 Catholic priests
yesterday announced
publicly their position
against the Tratado de
Libre Comercio (TLC) -
free trade agreement
with the United States.
The group's position was
made public by priests
Gerardo Vargas, Armando
Alfaro and Miguel Picado
at a press conference at
the Conferencia
Episcopal, in Barrio
México.
The priests say that it
is their duty to awake
the public's conscience
and with all the respect
and obedience of their
Bishops, who have asked
them to steer the
believing public, with
the only restriction
that it not be done
during mass.
Monseñor José Francisco
Ulloa, president of the
Conferencia Episcopal de
Costa Rica, said that
this group has the right
to voice their opinion
similar to the group of
priests who favour the
TLC.
"We maintain the same
position as always, we
are not in favour nor
against, we just
enlighten. We know that
Costa Rica is divided,
we are pastors of all
Catholics", said Ulloa.
Ulloa supporting the
position of the "No"
priests said that they
do so as citizens like
those of the "SI' vote
and can make their
opinions known as long
they do not do so during
mass or other pastoral
community activities.
The announcement by the
92 priests is a radical
position against the
TLC.
Francisco Chacón, co-ordinator
of the "Alianza
Ciudadana por el SÍ" - a
pro TLC group - asks
that the priests respect
the rules set out by the
Tribunal Supremo de
Elecciones (TSE) when
the 92 priests asks the
public to vote agains
the trade deal.
|
|
