(ANS - Alto Paraguay) - "For me, being a bishop with a Salesian heart means being a Good Shepherd who gives his life for his sheep, who knows them and goes in search of them," says Bishop Gabriel Ayala Escobar of the Apostolic Vicariate of Chaco Paraguayo in an interview with ANS. This statement is also his way of life. Recently Bishop Escobar has spoken out again for his people: "We cannot continue to live in the total indifference of the authorities", thus following the Pope's invitation to "overcome the globalization of indifference".

Bishop Gabriel Escobar, in charge of the Apostolic Vicariate of Chaco, has urged the people living in Upper Paraguay to be more insistent in calling the authorities to fulfil their duties regarding the situation of isolation of many local communities due to lack of roads and the total absence of the State.

"It is impossible to live in the region of Chaco in such a situation of total indifference on the part of national and departmental authorities" said Bishop Escobar, stressing the necessity to overcome cultural poverty and lodge concrete complaints with the authorities "complaints based on real facts, not only by way of social networks as we are accustomed". Lack of education represents an advantage for the authorities, since it means citizens are unable to present requests and complaints, he underlined. "The people of Paraguay are used to suffering but the present situation is intolerable, the people in this part of the country deserve better living conditions" Bishop Gabriel Escobar concluded.

Upper Paraguay has a population of about 18,000. The most serious difficulty is the lack of roads: many communities can be reached only by sailing on the River Paraguay: small boats offering one service a week. The government is doing nothing to improve the situation. The few attempts on the part of the authorities to take action with a project, were stifled by corruption.

Published 04/03/2016

Source: Agenzia Fides