Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 15 June 2018
Chilean church offices raided as part of sex abuse probe

By PATRICIA LUNA He added that they are
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — "available to cooperate
Prosecutors seized docu- with the civilian justice sys-
ments in raids on Roman tem in all that is required."
Catholic Church offices in Prosecutor Emiliano Arias,
two cities as part of an in- who led the search in San-
vestigation into growing tiago, said the church raids
clergy sex abuse scandals, show that in Chile "we are
while Vatican investigators all subject to common jus-
met with Chile's attorney tice."
general to discuss coop- The Vatican investigators in
eration in the civil and ca- Chile — Archbishop Charles
nonical probes. Scicluna and Spanish Mon-
The surprise raids Wednes- signor Jordi Bertomeu —
day targeted the head- earlier put together a 2,300-
quarters of Santiago's Ec- page report that prompted
clesiastical Court and the Francis to realize he had
diocese in Rancagua in misjudged the Chilean situ-
the O'Higgins region, where ation. On Monday, Fran-
14 priests are accused of cis began purging Chile's
having had sexual relations Catholic hierarchy over the
with minors. avalanche of sex abuse
They came hours before Archbishop Charles Scicluna, left, and Spanish Monsignor Jordi Bertomeuof, right, take part in a and cover-up cases, start-
two envoys sent by Pope press conference at the Catholic University of Chile, Wednesday, June 13, 2018. ing with accepting the res-
Francis met with Chilean Associated Press ignations of the bishop at
prosecutors, including At- the center of the scandal
torney General Jorge Ab- abusive priests. needed to come forward in the coming days pros- and two others.
bott, to coordinate their "The commitment is to a and freely lodge com- ecutors will ask the Vatican A Vatican statement Mon-
response to scandals that greater collaboration be- plaints. for any information it has re- day said Francis had ac-
have discredited Chile's tween the institutions," Abbott said prosecutors lated to the investigations. cepted the resignations of
church and last month led Abbott said, adding that met some resistance in the Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, the Bishop Juan Barros of Osor-
all of its 30-plus active bish- church and civilian authori- Rancagua raid, though archbishop of Santiago, no, Bishop Gonzalo Duarte
ops to offer to resign over ties are going to set up a they were satisfied with the said church officials "gave of Valparaiso and Bishop
their collective guilt in fail- system that will provide information seized in both the prosecutor all the re- Cristian Caro of Puerto
ing to protect children from victims with the protections operations. He added that quested documentation." Montt. q

Argentine Congress OKs elective abortion; now goes to Senate

By ALMUDENA CALATRAVA law "that guarantees life
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina from the moment of con-
(AP) — The lower house of ception."
Argentina's congress on President Macri, who has
Thursday approved a bill said he opposes voluntary
that would legalize elec- abortions, promised that he
tive abortion in the first 14 would not veto the mea-
weeks of pregnancy, send- sure if it is adopted.
ing the measure to the Efforts to ease or tighten
Senate. President Mauricio abortion restrictions have
Macri has said he will sign repeatedly emerged
the bill if it's approved. across Latin America in re-
The measure has roused cent years.
fierce passions in the home- Neighboring Chile's Con-
land of Pope Francis, and stitutional Court last year
the vote was tight: 129 to upheld a measure that
125. would end that country's
Argentina now allows abor- absolute ban on abortions,
tion only in cases of rape or permitting abortions when
risks to a woman's health. a woman's life is in dan-
Crowds of supporters and ger, when a fetus is not vi-
opponents of the measure able and in cases of rape.
— kept separate by offi- Women celebrate the approval of a bill legalizing abortion by the lower house of congress, in Chile had been the last
cials — watched the de- Buenos Aires, Thursday, June 14, 2018. country in South America
bate on large screens set Associated Press to ban abortion in all cases,
up outside Congress. though several nations in
Feminist groups lobbied and sang when the result dangerous illegal abor- dozens of women dying as Central America still have
hard for the measure and was announced. tions. The Health Ministry a result. absolute prohibitions.
demonstrators who had Backers of the measure estimated in 2016 that the The Roman Catholic Cuba, Guyana, Puerto Rico
spent the night awaiting said legalizing abortion country sees as many as church and other religious and Uruguay permit early-
the vote in sleeping bags would save the life of many half a million clandestine organizations opposed it, term elective abortions, as
and folding chairs cheered women who now turn to abortions each year, with saying it violates Argentina does Mexico City.q