Catholic Church in Colombia calls for respecting presidential election results

The Colombian Bishops’ Conference called for the will of the people expressed in the results of the June 21 presidential elections, which saw Abelardo de la Espriella emerge as the winner, to be respected and accepted as a sign of peace for the country.

In the final message of their 121st plenary assembly, the bishops noted the “robust and peaceful participation of the Colombian people” in the elections, describing it as a “clear sign of democratic maturity and of appreciation and respect for institutions.”

“We regard respect for and acceptance of the will of the Colombian people, as expressed in the election results, as conditions and signs of peace,” they stated in their message, published on July 9.

The bishops lamented that, following the elections, confrontation and division continue to be fueled by violent words and attitudes.

After calling for a “culture of encounter,” the bishops’ conference urged government leaders to assume “their constitutional responsibility to safeguard and foster unity, the pursuit of the common good in truth and justice, and a national project that includes us all without disregarding what has been built and received as both a legacy and a…