Nicaraguan bishops reject proposal to legalize drugs

Managua, Nicaragua, Mar 15, 2012 / 15:06 pm

The president of the Nicaraguan bishops' conference said he is against the legalization of drugs in Central America, stressing that “the consequences would be worse” than the current situation.

In an interview with local media on March 12, the Bishop Socrates Rene Sandigo responded to a proposal by the president of Guatemala, Otto Perez Molina, to legalize drugs in the region. 

The measure is slated to be discussed with other leaders of Central American countries on March 24.

“The theory that this would reduce consumption is false. I think it would instead increase it and make it easier, and therefore we would be exposing people to something damaging to their health,” Bishop Sandigo said. 

Bishop Sandigo also disagreed with the participation of President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua in the meeting, arguing that economic interests were likely behind the proposal to legalize drugs.

“Since drugs are not taxed, government officials resent the fact that they cannot generate any tax revenue from this market in the same way that they can from other drugs that are legal,” the bishop said.