Archbishop calls for cleaner political environment

ARCHBISHOP José Domingo Ulloa  has called on Panama's ruling and opposition parties to create a better political environment.

He made the statement Friday, May 31, after the surfacing of illegal recordings made of politicians.

Ulloa said  politicians must restore the confidence that the electorate and the public in general should have towards them.

"We are concerned about the political scene. There is a great vacuum of values  in our country," he said.

Ulloa said more than 60,000 young people will vote for the first time in the 2014 election.: "What kind of example are we giving them?" he said

ELECTORAL ETHICS

The archbishop defended the electoral ethics pact signed by some political parties, media representatives and members of civil society, but not by the ruling Democratic Change (CD) Party.

"Let's not blame the ethical pact," he said. "This document is a tool that is required now more than ever, despite the fact that people have lost faith in its validity."

Ulloa's comments came while he was participating in  the collection  of funds by volunteers titled "A balboa for a roof."

Ulloa explained that more than 100,000 families do not have decent housing. The church hopes to build 100 homes with donations, costing $2,000 each.

"They are rather small, but at least they can live in dignity", he said.