Vatican warns Paraguayan bishop against run for president

[Judi Lynn]

Vatican warns Paraguayan bishop against run for president
The Associated PressPublished: December 26, 2006

ASUNCION, Paraguay: The Vatican on Tuesday called upon a retired Roman Catholic bishop to give up his plans to run for president or face canonical sanctions.

But retired Bishop Fernando Lugo said he already resigned from the priesthood to lead a planned opposition alliance and challenge conservative President Nicanor Duarte of the Colorado Party in elections scheduled for May 2008.

The communique from the Vatican, released by the apostolic nunciature and signed by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, threatened to suspend Lugo's authority as a priest as a "first sanction." It was not clear whether the text was written before the resignation.

"In the name of Jesus Christ, I ask him to seriously reflect about his behavior," the Vatican warning read.
(snip/...)

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/26/america/LA_GEN_Paraguay_Bishop_Candidate.php

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research
Lugo Keeps Edge Over Duarte in Paraguay
December 15, 2006

- Former bishop Fernando Lugo is still the most popular prospective presidential candidate in Paraguay, according to a poll by First Análisis y Estudios published in ABC Color. 42.4 per cent of respondents would support Lugo in the 2008 election. Incumbent Nicanor Duarte is second with 37.3 per cent.

Duarte—a member of the National Republican Association - Red Party (ANR)—won the April 2003 presidential election with 37.1 per cent of all cast ballots. The ANR has been involved in Paraguay’s government since 1947, even during the dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner.

Lugo served as bishop in the diocese of San Pedro, located in one of Paraguay’s poorest areas. As a priest, he requires an official permit from The Vatican in order to become directly involved in politics.

Yesterday, Duarte discussed a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow him to seek a new five-year term, saying, "I will do what I can legally and morally to proceed without twisting wills or degrading power. (...) Some people thought I was willing to sell my soul to the devil in order to be re-elected."
(snip/...)

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm/fuseaction/viewItem/itemID/14093

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



President Nicanor Duarte + acquaintance

[BayCityProgressive]

1. So why doesn't the

Vatican want him to run? Because he isn't a gay and woman hating wealthy conservative?? The Catholic Church sure loves it's dictators.

[antiimperialist]

2. He's ahead in the polls

and his base is the poor. He will be the next president of Paraguay, No-matter what the nazi right-wing Pope says.

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm/fuseaction/viewItem/itemID/14124

[antiimperialist]

3. Wait a minute. He resigned from the priesthood

So what is the Vatican's problem? He's not a priest anymore.

[Peace Patriot]

6. Ah, not so fast! They stamp your soul permanently, don't you know--

both with Baptism, and with priestly vows ("Holy Orders"). Once a priest always a priest, in the eyes of the Vatican monarchy. Also, once a Catholic (baptized a Catholic) always a Catholic. It's the indelible "mark of St. Peter," and derives from the usurpation of Christian authority by the male powermongers of the 5th century A.D., who started all this nonsense of the "succession" from St. Peter, and more than likely inserted the words "thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church" into the gospels, at that time, when they were burning the earlier gospels that didn't support male authority. It a very un-Jesus-like statement. He was otherwise very anti-institutional, and no doubt would be horrified by all that has been done in his name--Inquisitions, burnings of witches, bloody Crusades, property ownership and corruption, and all the fancy silk robes and gold crowns.

So that is Fernando Lugo's problem. The Church does not recognize his free will to choose not to be a member of the Catholic clergy. He is now a "spoiled priest" in the Church's eyes. It's like joining the CIA. You cannot just leave. This "rule" does not apply to monks--who are not priests--or to nuns. Their vows are not permanent. I know this all sounds rather technical and silly, but some Catholics do preoccupy themselves with such things. Will they vote for a "spoiled priest," especially if the Church condemns him further? I don't really know. In the more leftist South American countries, they might. Not sure about Paraguay.

But I do know this. Paraguay and Colombia are dinosaurs--rightwing governments on a continent that has turned almost entirely leftist--with leftist governments now in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador (and, next election cycle, Peru--my prediction). These countries are banding together, against U.S. domination, and are now in talks on forming a South American "common market," with its own currency, like the euro (to get off the US dollar). Big, big changes going on in South America! They have had it with violent coups and brutal US-backed dictators and "global free trade" (global corporate predation) and its enforcers, the World Bank/IMF. Likely most Paraguayans would want to be part of the new regional political and economic cooperation, and the great benefits of such developments.

I think this will be true also in central America. There is a big anti-neoliberal movement in southern Mexico and Mexico City--but things are a bit rough in Mexico right now (where the corporatist government is being very brutal in places like Oaxaca, trying to suppress the new social movement). And Guatemala and Honduras are basketcases--not quite as bad as they were in the 1980s (200,000 people slain as "leftists"--i.e., "communists"--mostly poor Mayan peasants--all with that monster Reagan's approval and assistance)--but still very behind the rest of Latin America.

But to get back to Paraguay, for a moment--this is where the Bush Cartel is rumored to have purchased 100,000 acres, and where the Bush Junta has spent a lot of US taxpayer money on a military air base. They have also lavished military funds on Colombia ($1.5 billion total, over several years), and it is a worry--that they might be intending to launch a private corporate resource war against the Andean democracies (Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador--all rich in oil, gas and minerals)--from Colombia, through Paraguay. Donald Rumsfeld is out of a job. Maybe that's his next war.

So, what happens in Paraguay is VERY IMPORTANT to the rest of the region. It currently has a weak rightwing government. If it were to elect a strong leftwing government--like the rest of South America--that would help to prevent any potential nefarious plans that the Bush Cartel might be cooking up in the Andean region. This is the first I have heard of a leftist movement in Paraguay. It is very heartening.

[saigon68]

13. APPARENTLY HE TREATED LITTLE BOYS WITH RESPECT TOO

Unlike Father Feeney

[villager]

4. Paraguay's still a haven for ex-Nazis; the current Pope is protecting

the "sanctuary," no doubt....

[Occulus]

5. Kgfnally warns Vatican to stay the fuck out of the secular affairs of nations

ed.: changed 'tells' to 'warns' to replicate the Vatican's threat

And just who the fuck is the Vatican and its Hitler Youth "pope" to be warning any nation about, well, ANYTHING?

The christian faith* is getting mighty uppity. Why, some highly-placed christians even think they can tell nations what to do.

*not limited to so-called 'good' christians. This tendency tpview all domains of men as territory of the christian faith is one of the biggest reasons why I refuse to call myself a christian.

SAPELLING IS CORRECT. I don't capitalize christianity or anything christian anymore, and I'm bloody proud of the fact that I've learned to relegate this particular religion to the place it deserves.

That is, beneath me.

[BlueInPhilly]

7. 2nd the motion on the Permanent Priesthood

Once a priest, always a priest, just stripped of their priestly duties like celebrating sacraments, etc. The pope's warning of canonical sanctions kinda sounds like a moot point, since Bishop Lugo has already willingly gone to "ex-cathedra". Even the priests who have been defrocked after molesting kids are still priests. I guess becoming a priest is like being a homosexual - you just cannot quit whenever you want to because of some "indelible marks" already within you.

[Joanne98]

8. Don't the Moonies and the Bushies own a big piece of Paraguay?

[Judi Lynn]

9. Eeeeyup! Here's a quick look at Rev. Moon's operation there!

Since 1999, Rev Moon has built his personal empire which begins on the marshy banks of the River Paraguay and stretches beyond the hazy, level horizon through 600,000 hectares of arid land - equivalent to more than two Luxembourgs - punctuated by solitary clusters of withered trees and sad bushes which struggle desperately for air.

The scorching sun beats relentlessly on one of Latin America's most desolate zones. It is here in the northern province of Chaco, directly above the GuaranI aquifer, the largest resource of fresh drinking water in the world, where Moon's associates claim he wishes to build an ecological paradise.

Nevertheless, national Senator Domingo Laino sees a different pattern in Moon's acquisitions. "There are two principal branches to Moon's interest in Paraguay," he said, "control of the largest fresh drinking water source in the world and control of the narcotics business", which is so prevalent in this area. "President Lula told me that Brazil took serious measures to curb Moon a few years back as it became evident that he was buying up the border between our two countries," said the senator.

Allegations from local law enforcement officials support this claim. The so-called Dr Montiel, Paraguay's drugs tsar from 1976-89, said: "The fact that they came and bought in Chaco and on both sides of the Brazilian border is very telling. It is an enormously strategic point in both the narcotics and arms trades and indeed the available intelligence clearly shows that the Moon sect is involved in both these enterprises."

Paraguay is the major drugs port through which virtually all the cocaine produced by Bolivia and Peru passes. In the world's second most corrupt country, "the ease of buying influence is second to none", said Montiel. "Corruption reaches dangerous levels and he who wants transparency in Paraguay is a dead man. Indeed the famous Iran contra affair was operated from Ciudad del Este" on the south-east Paraguayan border with Argentina and Brazil.
(snip/...)

http://www.iapprovethismessiah.com/2004/10/paraguayans-accuse-moon-of-carving-out.html

and the Bushes:

October 20 / 22, 2006

Hideout or Water Raid?
Bush's Paraguay Land Grab
By CP News Wire

Asuncion, Paraguay.

The land grab project of U.S. President George W. Bush in Chaco, Paraguay, has generated considerable discomfort both politically and environmentally.

The news circulating the continent about plans to buy 98,840 acres of land in Chaco, Paraguay, near the Triple Frontier (Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay) is the talk of the town in these countries.

Although official sources have not confirmed the information that is already public, the land is reportedly located in Paso de Patria, near Bolivian gas reserves and the Guarani indigenous water region, within the Triple Border.

Alto Paraguay Gov. Erasmo Rodriguez Acosta revealed he heard that part of the land purchase consists of an ecological reserve (Fundacion Patria), with which Bush is affiliated.

In its interview with Rodriguez Acosta, neike.com.py reported that he does not have documentation of this affiliation and it could not communicate either with the foundation or with the National Rural Development and Land Institute, in charge of these state lands.

Concern increased last week with the arrival of Bush's daughter, Jenna, and a source from the Physical Planning Department saying that most of the Chaco region belongs to private companies.

Luis D'Elia, Argentina´s undersecretary for Land for Social Habitat, says the matter raises regional concern because it threatens local natural resources.
(snip/...)

http://www.counterpunch.org/cp10202006.html

There's a whole lot more available on the Moonies. One of the comical ones I saw was posted by a DU'er in the last year, in the words of Rev. Moon, in which he detailed his vision of his new world in Paraguay, over the aquifer, in which the Moonies would recreate the fabled Garden of Eden, down to the no clothes rule! Very humorous.

I wonder if he has found a way to make a profit from selling them invisible clothes.

[lovuian]

14. LOL!!!

:rofl: They really think they can hide out on this little island country and be all protected from any harm

:rofl:

Prisoners on a Island of Fear

Bush's Nightmare

[Bridget Burke]

15. "little island country" ?

Paraguay is one of the two South American countries with no coastline.

Bolivia is the other one.

[PATRICK]

10. Application of the "principle"

There have been a number of priests etc, who have been in office, I think. We had one Jesuit in America who was ordered to step down, probably, again, because of raising the hackles of conservatives whose only popular priestly champion was a hate radio star in the thirties. So it is there but selectively enforced at particular times, like when it becomes a public divisive issue- such as being noted as such in the press or conservative circles.

Many priests and ex-priests have led populist revolts, such as Haiti. In the division of church population, none is more striking than in Latin America where the parishes and bishops are lined up by pocketbooks, regions in a caste system that takes the predictable political sides with the crossing over of conscience stricken bourgeois bishops is more likely and a strong threat(Romero).

Because it is Paraguay, little noticed in the American press, a Bush plaything and refuge, I would think assassination is in the cards for this current crossover. There are two ways that the Vatican could prevent this. One is to order the guy to retreat if possible. The other is to strongly back him up, try to unite the church behind democracy, etc. The current papal administration is incapable of doing or possibly even imagining taking such a stand, or risk, but by actively joining the repression forces it is going the other way whether it intends to or not. So, the "purity" of keeping the Church out of its disastrous past involvement in politics and power is a sick joke, only applying the newfound principle when it would protect a worldly and evil tyrannical status quo. It IS right to make the minister take off one hat permanently(or a king his crown), not to prohibit men of conscience from doing their duty as they can to better their civil society according to Christian values. The days of Vatican Kissingers are finished but they still go on as before like a jalopy coasting downhill.

[Judi Lynn]

11. His resignation of his official position in the church is very recent!

Paraguay Bishop Candidate for Landless

Asuncion, Dec 22 (Prensa Latina) Paraguayan ranchers are uneasy today about the pending presidential candidacy of Bishop Fernando Lugo as, not only is he sympathetic to farmers without land, but he is leading voter preference over President Nicanor Duarte for the 2008 election.

On top of that, he is supported by a new leftwing movement, Tekojoja (equality in the Guarani language) that aims for agrarian reform.

The bishop, 55, from northern San Pedro diocese, one of the poorest regions in Paraguay, renounced his vocation in a letter to Pope Benedict XVI yesterday, in order to constitutionally run for office.

Should the ex prelate win in 2008, it would end the 51-year reign of the Colorado Party.

According to a study of the Latin American Social panorama, 80 percent of Paraguayan land is in the hands of large estate owners.
(snip/)

~~~~ link ~~~~

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

12. Why did I correctly guess it was a leftie cleric?

Let's see the Vatican do the same thing if some bishop has the idea of challenging Chavez or Evo or Correa. I won't hold my breath.