MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bishops call for an end to the “scandalous gaps” in Chile

Chilean bishops from the Catholic Church Standing Episcopal Committee called on all candidates campaigning for December elections to make public proposals to achieve greater equality in the Chilean society helping to overcome the current “scandalous social, economic and cultural gaps”.

In an official release the Catholic Church also demands that hopefuls particularly, presidential candidates make public in a detailed, on time, transparent manner their government programs, as well as the criteria and values supporting them.

Monsignor Alejandro Goic, president of the Episcopal Committee said that Bishops call on candidates "to strengthen the family as the main humanization space".

They also asked for policies that privilege life, education, health, workers and third age people.

Further on the declaration emphasizes that electoral promises are an authentic commitment with the country, "particularly for whose present and future depends, to great extent, on an efficient and faithful delivery of those promises".

The Episcopal declaration is titled "Responsibility and transparency in the electoral process" and describes objectives as helping to advance democracy, responsible participation and transparency.

Bishops add that they hope the campaign turns into an opportunity to discern, choose wisely those people who can best work for the common good, promoting dialogue, understanding and transparency.

Finally bishops call on the media to open spaces for "in depth dialogue" leading to help voters choose properly informed.