MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Pope Francis blesses massive dignity march in Buenos Aires against unemployment and recession

The rally, which happens every year in the name of San Cayetano, patron saint of workers and the unemployed, saw the iconic church swamped with people

Argentines with the support of the Catholic Church and a message from Pope Francis, on Sunday turned an annual religious celebration into a massive rally to protest growing unrest over unemployment, recession, inflation and a promised second half of the year rebound which remains absent.

 Tens of thousands descended on a packed Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires to demand that the government of president Mauricio Macri takes action to create jobs and re-launches the economy.

The march, referred to by its organizers as the “Caravan for Dignity” and for “Peace, Bread, Land, Work and Roof”, kicked off from San Cayetano Church in the Buenos Aires City neighborhood of Liniers. Though nominally organized by the left-wing Corriente Clasista y Combativa (CCC) and the Workers’ Confederation of Popular Economy (CTEP) — a grouping with close ties to the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis — the rally earned the support of political, union and social leaders who pushed for demonstrators to actively protest against the Mauricio Macri administration.

The rally, which happens every year in the name of San Cayetano — the patron saint of workers and the unemployed — saw the iconic church swamped with people ahead of a high-profile Mass, celebrated by Archbishop of Buenos Aires Mario Poli, who himself criticized the government.

During the mass Poli recalled the parabola of the good Samaritan and the ideals of the founding fathers of Argentina whose objective was a country which functioned as “a great family” inspired in a spirit of solidarity and fraternity, which are “quite far from being achieved”.

Monsignor Poli also read an open letter from Francis, in commemoration of the festivity but pointing out that “unemployment rates in Argentina are significantly high”. He added that “one thing was to have bread to eat at home and another taking the bread home, the fruit of work and a job”, which is the only way to “offer dignity”, so that “when we are asking for work, we are asking for dignity”.

Following the words from Francis' letter Monsignor Poli made a strong warning to political and social referents that regularly travel to Rome to meet with the Pope.

“You must be aware and not get confused: a photo or a meeting with the Pope does not make you his spokesperson, or his friend, or his missionary, unless we practice the commandments of compassion and mercy towards our equals, who is not our enemy, but our brother, our neighbor, our similar”

Protesters marched along the 13 kilometer route, singing and shouting slogans, and holding placards demanding an “universal complementary salary” for cooperatives and informal workers.

The mobilization was led by the CTEP, whose leaders are pressuring Congress to declare a “state of social emergency” in the face of rising unemployment and poverty figures in Argentina.

Organizers said the goal of the protest was to move toward “the unity of all workers” and to help place “issues related to those less well off” on the agenda. The march also focused on unregistered workers and on mounting concerns about the closure of neighborhood markets and small businesses such as local bakeries and butcher’s shops.

The demonstration took place as the latest official and alternative figures reveal a worsening economic crisis for the public as a consequence of austerity measures adopted by the Let’s Change administration since taking office in December.

It is estimated that some 500,000 people attended San Cayetano this year, a figure that, if verified, would be the highest since 1991.