The Bishop of Tenerife, Bernardo Álvarezhas been summoned to the headquarters of the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Santa Cruz de Tenerife next Wednesday, February 16as reported by Cadena SER on the morning of this Monday, February 7.
The Prosecutor’s Office was investigating the words of the Bishop of Tenerife, Bernardo Álvarez, about homosexuality as a possible hate crime.
The bishop indicated during the interview that homosexuality could be considered a “mortal sin” and even compared it to alcoholism. His words have provoked indignation and rejection among Canarian society, and even LGTBI groups began both a collection of signatures to demand his resignation and the request for institutional motions for the disapproval of Álvarez.
Subsequently, the Council of Tenerife became the first public administration on the island that has joined this initiative and fully approved a motion of “outright condemnation” of the statements.
The popular reaction led Bernardo Álvarez himself to issue a statement of apology in which he apologized for his words, especially to the LGTB community, and expressed his respect.
