Peru – UNHCR and Salesians united in favor of blocked migrants. "The poor will never find God indifferent"

02 April 2020

(ANS - Lima) - According to BBC World News, Peru is the country with the largest impulse project in Latin America against Covid-19. On April 1, the Ministry of Health of Peru confirmed that 47 people died from Covid-19, 1,323 confirmed cases and 198 people hospitalized. Despite the extremely difficult situation, the Peruvian government has not forgotten the poor or migrants who have been blocked. "In dialogue with the Salesian Congregation and with the permission of the Superior, Fr Manuel Cayo," said Fr José Valdivia, Provincial Economer, "the main courtyard of the Provincial House was made available so as to welcome the needy until this pandemic is over."

In a letter Fr Valdivia informed the Salesians of the Provincial and his council's decision to give Salesian support in this humanitarian crisis. “A few days ago we communicated with Federico Agusti, UNHCR Coordinator General in Peru (the UN Refugee Agency) who asked for, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the use of the structures of the Breña courtyard to welcome and host a group of Haitians who have nowhere to live. Many of them are children and mothers of families." This decision was made in the context of the "invitation of the Rector Major and the Economer General to welcome the most vulnerable people or victims of this pandemic by making our structures available."

About 90 Haitians arrived at the designated place for migrants and were welcomed into the Provincial House of Breña. These migrants were unable to travel to Ecuador because of the Covid-19 emergency medical declaration in Peru, and were left with the only option of sleeping in the streets.

At the request of the Peruvian state, UNHCR, in coordination with the Salesian Congregation, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the NGO "Illari Amanecer" are coordinating a response in this moment of mandatory asylum, why they looked for mattresses, beds and sleeping modules, together with food.

Thanks to this teamwork, it was possible to help these 90 people, most of whom are young families. In total there are 25 minors, 32 women and 33 men.

"The poor will never find God indifferent, He does justice and does not forget," said the Pope energetically, and precisely in these circumstances we see the presence and hand of God. The option for the poor, for the least and for the discarded, which society rejects, "is a priority option that the disciples of Christ are called to do in order not to betray the credibility of the Church and to give effective hope to many defenseless people," said the Pontiff.

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