Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 23 January 2018
Pope apologizes to victims, defends Chilean bishop Venezuelan

about the cover-up, re- officials bury
sponded with a statement
to The Associated Press: “If rebel against
he wanted evidence, why
didn’t he reach out to us family wishes
when we were willing to
reaffirm the testimony that CARACAS, Venezuela (AP)
not only us, but so many — Hardly any family mem-
witnesses, have been pro- bers of a rebel police offi-
viding for more than 15 cer killed in a shootout with
years?” he said. Venezuelan security forces
Francis, though, repeated were allowed to attend his
again that anyone who burial this weekend, rela-
makes an accusation with- tives said.
out providing evidence is Just two of Oscar Perez’s
guilty of slander. relatives were allowed
“Someone who accuses in- to see the early morning
sistently without evidence, interment at a Caracas
this is calumny,” he said. “If cemetery after authorities
I say ‘you stole something, denied relatives’ demands
you stole something,’ I’m that they hand over the
slandering you because I body of Perez and six oth-
don’t have evidence.” ers killed. The cemetery
He acknowledged that he was surrounded by Nation-
misspoke when he said he al Guard officers.
Pope Francis touches his forehead as he talks with journalists during his flight from Lima, Peru, to needed to see “proof” to “They arbitrarily decided
Rome, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018. believe the accusations, to carry out the controlled
(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) saying it was a legal term burial without granting
By NICOLE WINFIELD “gets it” about abuse. lested by him in the swank that he didn’t intend. He permission to observe him,
Associated Press Francis insisted that to date parish he headed in the El corrected himself and used much less allow him to be
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE no one had provided him Bosque area of Santiago. the term “evidence” in- moved with his family,”
(AP) — Pope Francis apolo- with evidence that Bishop A Chilean judge also found stead, which he said could Perez’s widow, Danahis Vi-
gized for insisting that vic- Juan Barros was complicit the victims to be credible, include testimony. vas, said on Twitter.
tims of pedophile priests in keeping quiet about saying that while she had “Here I have to apologize Vivas is out of the country
show “proof” to be be- the perversions of the Rev. to drop criminal charges because the word ‘proof’ with the couple’s children.
lieved, saying he realized Fernando Karadima, the against Karadima because hurt them. It hurt a lot of Perez’s aunt, Aura Perez,
it was a “slap in the face” charismatic Chilean priest too much time had passed, abused people,” he said. “I confirmed that the mili-
to victims that he never in- who was sanctioned by the proof of his crimes wasn’t know how much they suffer. tary allowed her and her
tended. Vatican in 2011 for molest- lacking. And to hear that the pope daughter into the ceme-
But he doubled down on ing and fondling minors in The victims testified before told them to their face that tery to see Perez before he
defending a Chilean bish- his Santiago parish. Chilean prosecutors, and they need to bring a letter was buried.
op accused by victims of Flying home from the most have said publicly for years with proof? It’s a slap in the Officials have called Perez
covering up for the coun- contested trip of his pa- that Barros, one of Karadi- face.” and his group a “terrorist
try’s most notorious pedo- pacy, Francis said Barros ma’s proteges, witnessed Cardinal Sean O’Malley, cell,” and blamed them
phile priest, and he repeat- would remain bishop of the abuse and did nothing Francis’ top adviser on for instigating the violent
ed that anyone who makes Osorno, Chile as long as to stop it. abuse, issued a public shootout that killed two
such accusations without there’s no evidence impli- Barros denies the accusa- criticism saying Francis’ police officers. Authorities
providing evidence is guilty cating him in the cover-up. tions. words were a “source of have not commented on
of slander. “I can’t condemn him be- “The best thing is for those great pain for survivors” the burial.
Francis issued the partial cause I don’t have evi- who believe this to bring and that such expressions The government has been
mea culpa in an airborne dence,” Francis said. “But the evidence forward,” had the effect of mak- accused of unlawfully kill-
press conference late I’m also convinced that Francis said. “In this mo- ing them feel abandoned ing the group after video
Sunday as he returned he’s innocent.” ment I don’t think it’s this and left to “discredited clips Perez posted during
home from Chile and Peru, Karadima was removed way, because I don’t have exile.” The Chilean govern- the shootout showed him
where the clergy abuse from ministry and sen- it, but I have an open heart ment spokeswoman, Paula calling out that the rebels
scandal and his own com- tenced by the Vatican in to receive them.” Narvaez, said there was wished to surrender.
ments plunged the Chilean 2011 to a lifetime of pen- Juan Carlos Cruz, the an “ethical imperative to Perez was the last of the
church into renewed cri- ance and prayer based on most vocal of the accus- respect victims of sexual seven to be buried by the
sis and revived questions the testimony of his victims, ers against Karadima and abuse, believe them and military over the week-
about whether Francis who said they were all mo- Barros who testified in court support them.” q end. The families received
death certificates showing
Ecuador president takes aim at WikiLeaks’ Assange that he and five others had
each died of a gunshot to
the head.
QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ec- Lenin Moreno said in a ship to Assange this month solution. Alfredo Romero, direc-
uador’s president is lashing televised interview Sunday in an unsuccessful attempt Assange in 2012 sought ref- tor of the Caracas-based
out at WikiLeaks founder that Assange had become to provide him diplomat- uge in the embassy to avoid human rights group Foro
Julian Assange even as he “more than a nuisance” ic immunity so he could extradition to Sweden over Penal, told local media
contends his government is after he violated terms of evade arrest in Britain. sex-related claims. that he’s demanding a
working behind the scenes his asylum by interfering in Moreno said other coun- Sweden dropped the case thorough investigation to
to help him out of the Ec- other countries’ political af- tries and “important per- but Assange still faces ar- determine whether the
uadorean embassy in Lon- fairs. sonalities” he didn’t name rest in Britain for jumping deaths were acts of “inten-
don. Ecuador granted citizen- are working to mediate a bail.q tional homicide.”q