.- The Bishops’ Conference of Colombia has denounced the kidnapping and murder of the Governor of the State of Caqueta, Luis Francisco Cuellar. The governor was taken from his home on December 21 by members of the FARC rebel group and was found dead two days later.
In a statement released several days ago and signed by Bishop Jaime Prieto Amaya of Cucuta, the bishops condemned “this act of violence which, because of its transcendence and its implications for families, communities and society, has become a crime against humanity.”
After expressing their condolences to the governor’s family and friends, the bishops reiterated that “everything against life, from kidnapping to murder, everything that violates the integrity of the human person, every act of violence no matter where it originates, deserves our strongest rejection.”
“As representatives of the Catholic Church, we always act with autonomy and the logic of the Gospel,” the bishops continued. “We are neither delegates nor representatives of the government or of illegally armed groups.”
The bishops also expressed their commitment to working with the commission given the task of securing the release of all hostages being held by FARC.
