The LGTBI + Diversas association has reported this Tuesday that it has sent to the parties with representation in the Parliament of the Canary Islands, in the Cabildo de Tenerife and in the city councils of the island a proposal for a motion to disapprove the bishop of Tenerife, Bernardo Álvarez, for his “repeat homophobia”.
The bishop of Tenerife apologizes after the controversy over his words about homosexuality
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Diversas indicates in a statement that the proposal contains as agreements the disapproval of Bernardo Álvarez, the resounding condemnation for his homophobic statements, as well as the commitment not to invite the bishop to any institutional act that is held, as a sign of respect and consideration for the collective LGBTI +, in addition to transferring the approved motion to the Bishopric and the Episcopal Conference.
The president of Diversas, Sergio Siverio, has indicated that “we hope that this motion will be progressively presented and approved in the various institutions of the archipelago and municipalities of the island, thus demonstrating with facts the political unanimity in rejecting homophobic statements repeat offenders of the bishop”.
He added that the “more than 50,000 signatures collected through the platform change.org demanding his immediate dismissal must have the necessary institutional support and have consequences for a bishop who has no other dignified way out than to resign or be dismissed immediately”.
From Diversas they say that they will not accept “another apology that does not go through his resignation or dismissal, given the damage done to the LGBTI + community, and the institutions cannot continue to remain silent in the face of the bishop’s recurrent homophobia.”
This group refers to the statements that Bernardo Álvarez made last week on Canarian Television, where he declared that homosexual people who act consciously and freely commit “a mortal sin”, and compared homosexuality to alcoholism and delinquency.