SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Feb. 9 (EUROPE PRESS) –
The Plenary Session of the Parliament of the Canary Islands unanimously condemned on Wednesday the statements made by the Bishop of Tenerife, Bernardo Álvarez, in which he said that homosexuality is a mortal sin if practiced consciously and even compared it to alcoholism.
On the other hand, the Proposal No Law (PNL) of Sí Podemos, amended by Cs, has not gone ahead with the proposal of the purple formation that Álvarez not be invited to public events organized by institutions on the islands — the only group who voted in favour.
María del Río (Yes We Can) has lamented that an institutional declaration or a joint NLP has not finally gone ahead and although she has made it clear that they do not want to practice “any cruelty” against the bishop, she understands that “you cannot go backwards” in respect and dignity of LGTBI people.
He has pointed out that “it rains it pours” with Álvarez because in the past he came to blame minors for cases of pederasty and has assured that his latest criticism in an interview on ‘Televisión Canaria’ “involves contempt and humiliation” for what he is in favor of not being invited to public events because his figure “does not respond to the plurality” of the regional Chamber.
Ricardo Fernández (Cs) has said that the bishop’s statements were “unfortunate” because they generate “negative feelings and low self-esteem” in LGTBI people, although he has appreciated that he has apologized.
However, he is not in favor of not being invited to public events while waiting to see if the investigation opened by the Prosecutor’s Office ends in a complaint for a hate crime.
Jesús Ramos (ASG) has stated that his group rejects the bishop’s statements, has regretted that an institutional declaration with the sentiment of the Chamber has not been approved and has thanked him for apologizing.
Carmen Hernández (NC) has supported the “conclusive reprobation” of Álvarez’s words because they do not even correspond to the position of the Church put forward by Pope Francis, although she does not support the refusal that he be invited to public events because it would mean “excluding “to a part of society that professes the Catholic faith.
“We must not continue generating blood,” he commented, calling it “excessive” that he is not invited to public events because it means stopping inviting the Church.
THE PP DOES NOT JOIN A “PUBLIC SCAM”
Luz Reverón (PP) has said that her group condemns the bishop’s homophobic statements because they are “unfortunate” and undermine people’s rights, although she apologized, and for that reason, they will not join in “any public ridicule” or to a speech “against Christianity”. “We are going to be in front,” she indicated.
Jesús Machín, from the Nationalist Group, has valued that the groups agree on the defense of the LGTBI collective and on the approval of laws “without any vote against”, which shows that the Chamber “is a retaining wall” against those who violate the rights of these people.
However, he has pointed out that “the ideal” would have been an institutional declaration.
OMAR LÓPEZ (PSOE) SEES THE BISHOP AS A “GENERATOR OF HATE”
Omar López (PSOE) has commented that Álvarez is playing an “internal competition” to be the “greatest generator” of hatred in the Church and although he apologized, he does not believe them, because sexual orientation “does not need more debate”.
López has wondered “how LGBTI and Catholic people have felt” with these “so disastrous” statements and has recognized that not inviting him to the acts attacks the autonomy of the institutions.
Faced with the bishop’s statements, López has asked all people to “want, love and embrace in freedom.”
