wfn.org | ALC Latin American Church News Feb 1 2004

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

ALC NEWS SERVICE
E-mail: director@alcnoticias.org

ALC HEADLINES:
BRAZIL: Benedita da Silva leaves Ministry of Social Aid
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Evangelicals call for prudence in the midst of 
political crisis
ARGENTINA:  More than 300,000 people attended Summer Festival convened by 
Luis Palau
BRAZIL: Investigation about IURD published
CUBA: US Church delegation returns with empty hands

BRAZIL
Benedita da Silva leaves Ministry of Social Aid

BRASILIA, January 26, 2004 (alc).  Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da 
Silva, announced cabinet changes January 23 and the fusion of two 
ministries and the Zero Hunger program.

Shuffled ministries include the head of Social Aid and Promotion, Benedita 
da Silva, Professor Cristovam Buarque, Education Minister, Jose Graziano, 
of Food Security and Emilia Fernandes, the Special Secretariat for Women's 
Policies.

The social and education areas have been heavily criticized by different 
sectors and analysts. The Zero Hunger program, announced with such fanfare 
at the beginning of the presidential term, was not successful. In 
education, there was a great deal of proposals and little action. With 
these changes, Lula seems to be giving a clear sign for the second year of 
government: More action, in particular in the social area.

The Social Assistance and Food Security and the program to Combat Hunger, 
were merged in what the press baptized the super-ministry of Economic and 
Social Development. Patrus Ananias, federal legislator and former mayor of 
Belo Horizonte was named to head up the ministry.

The former mayor of Porto Alegre, Tarso Genro will now head up the Ministry 
of Education and the new Special Secretariat for Women's Policies is Nilcea 
Freire.

Benedita da Silva did not make any comments on her political future. She 
ran into difficulties in her first year in government due to a 
controversial trip to Buenos Aires and the little visibility of any action 
in her ministry.

Da Silva, former governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro participated last 
September 25 in a Prayer Breakfast in the Argentine capital, organized by 
Evangelical Churches. The press denounced that the former minister, an 
Evangelical with enormous popular support, had traveled to Argentina on the 
state's tab.

At that time, the ministry's Press office published a note stating that the 
minister's trip was for work purposes. The visit would serve to discuss 
projects with the Brazilian-Argentine Social Institute, created at the 
beginning of the year to promote the exchange of experiences in the social 
area.

Da Silva added that she traveled to Buenos Aires to meet with the Argentine 
minister of Social Development, Alicia Kirchner and that the religious 
event was a coincidence.

The State's press agency said that the meeting with the Argentine minister 
was requested by the Brazilian minister with barely 24 hours of 
anticipation, when the trip to Buenos Aires was already programmed and even 
registered in the Official Gazette.

Three months after that incident, Benedita da Silva was denounced by the 
Public Federal Ministry for administrative impropriety. Pressured by 
members of the Workers Party and the government, she eventually assumed the 
cost of the trip and returned the money to public coffers.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Evangelicals call for prudence in the midst of political crisis

SANTO DOMINGO, January 26, 2004 (alc). The Dominican Confederation of 
Evangelical Unity (CODUE), in the name of more than 4,000 member Churches 
and 180 Councils and institutions, said that the interview its leaders held 
with the president last Thursday did not involve any commitments and dealt 
with "purely pastoral issues."

After specifying that the meeting was held at the request of President 
Hipslito Mejma, it added that CODUE and the organizations it represents 
"reaffirm the position to not identify with any political sector or to be 
the patrimony of any party."

With this statement, Evangelicals clarified speculations on the part of 
some sectors that interpreted the interview as support for President Mejia 
at a time when he is facing a crisis due to his economy policy, his 
re-election aims and when he confronts a general strike.

CODUE affirmed that its participation in the country's social and political 
life is not only compatible with its profession of Evangelical faith but is 
a responsibility it must assume as a mandate of that faith, according to 
the gifts that the Lord has given each person for the common good.

It stated that the Church, as an institution that brings together people of 
the same faith but not necessary the same party or ideology and even 
divergent parties or ideologies, cannot identify itself with partisan
options.

Regarding the national situation, CODUE stated that "The precarious 
economic and social situation is accentuated by the uncertainty of a 
general strike that seeks to express the profound discontent in the entire 
country, organized by a population that his highly unsatisfied with the 
current government's management."

The communique, signed by Reynaldo Falco Aquino, president of CODUE, stated 
that the situation demands an attitude of  "prudence and common sense, 
authorities must avoid abusive repression and strikers must avoid excesses, 
they must not allow strikes to get out of control."

It added that "there is a need for an intelligent government attitude," in 
the face of the major problems that have not been addressed. "All 
Dominicans must unite forces, civil society, religious, politicians, 
businessmen and all men and women who love their homeland," said the 
Evangelicals.

On the other hand, Evangelicals recommended that the head of the Supreme 
Court, Jorge Subero, not resign and identify by name those who seek his 
resignation.

"The Judicial Power is one of the few institutional reserves left to the 
nation and the change and transformation process should continue without 
any obstacles. While Dr. Subero continues to be the man we know, prudent, 
moderate, integral, he will have the support of the entire Dominican 
Evangelical community and he should not cede to internal and external 
pressures," it said.

In a statement published last November, the CODUE affirmed that the 
Dominican Republic is living through a state of emergency because of the 
"inefficiency, clumsiness and corruption" that is characterizing the 
current government.

It stated that the scandalous levels of inflation, the monetary 
devaluation, the growing unemployment and impoverishment, together with 
unlimited foreign debt, public spending and the deterioration of all basic 
services "are more than reason to lead the country to a social explosion."

CODUE, that represents more than 1 million faithful, affirmed that the 
strike held on January 11 constituted a demonstration of "repudiation" to 
the government. "Unfortunately, President Mejia, in his bid for 
re-election, does not know why, does not see, or hear or understand," it
added.

ARGENTINA
  More than 300,000 people attended Summer Festival convened by Luis Palau

MAR DEL PLATA, January 26, 2004 (alc).	More than 250,000 people attended 
two nights of preaching in the Summer Festival with evangelist Luis Palau 
on the Bristol beach in this Argentine city.

On the first night, Palau presented the message "Faith and Hope", preaching 
about ethical and moral values and appealed for a spiritual change so that 
Argentina could achieve prosperity. The second message was addressed to 
young people, with an emphasis on virginity prior to marriage.

According to organizers, at least 5,000 people came forward to accept 
Jesus. Different sources said that on Friday there were 110,000 people and 
the number doubled on Saturday, despite the fact that the Summer Festival 
had to compete with a soccer match between Boca Juniors and River Plate, 
which took place at the same time.

Palau, age 69, is Argentine, but has been living in the United States for 
some time. Last year he preached in Buenos Aires, bringing together more 
than 500,000 people. He has not traveled to Mar del Plata for more than 20 
years.

Venezuelan singer  Josi Luis Rodriguez	"El Puma", Yuri, Reni Gonzalez, 
Patty Cabrera, the Imperial Band and the Group Rescate provided music. The 
event was lead by Evangelist   Dante Gebel.

Argentine Vice president Daniel Scioli attended the event briefly on 
Saturday January 24. Invited by "El Puma", he went on stage to greet 
participants.

The night include some fragments form the movie "The Passion," by actor and 
producer Mel Gibson, which has not yet premiered and which has sparked 
polemic in religious sectors in the United States and Europe. The event 
ended with a fireworks display that could be observed in much of the city.

Several activities were held in the week leading up to the event. For 
example, Palau met with women and businessmen and professionals in the 
Sheraton hotel and donated some 50,000 kilos of food to the municipality to 
be distributed among social entities.

Palau's campaign in Mar del Plata was sponsored by the Christian Alliance 
Federation of Evangelicals Churches in the Argentine Republic (FACIERA) and 
mobilized some 230 Churches in the city and surrounding area.

BRAZIL
Investigation about IURD published

PORTO ALEGRE, January 29, 2004 (alc). The Universal Church of the Kingdom 
of God (IURD) has been media oriented from the outset and this has been a 
decisive factor in its success and expansion in Brazil and abroad, said 
anthropologist Ari Pedro Oro, age 52 and a professor at the Federal 
University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS).

"We could even say that without the investment in the media, the IURD would 
not be where it is now," said Oro, editor of a book published by Paulinas, 
entitled the "Universal Church of the Kingdom of God: the new conquerors of 
the faith."

The book brings together research carried out by researchers of various 
nationalities. "The book we wrote is not a denouncement or an accusation. 
It is an investigation that seriously analyzes an important Brazilian 
Church," said Oro, interviewed by Marcos Stefano from the magazine Eclesia.

The IURD is a transnational Church present in 80 countries. "It constitutes 
a religious phenomenon that interests social scientists who study the issue 
of religion," said Oro. "The world expansion is present in the origins of 
Universal, perhaps as a means to justify the name of the denomination. It 
is a global Church," he said.

The book is divided into two parts. The first deals with the expansion of 
the Church, analyzing its success and difficulties in several countries. 
The second part analyzes the presence of the IURD in the media, its 
political involvement, its social aid and its spiritual battle against 
Afro-Brazilian religions.

In statements to Eclesia, the UFRGS professor emphasized that key to the 
analysis is the discourse that the IURD uses.  According to Oro, Universal 
"says what people want and need to hear. It has an appropriate discourse. 
This, combined with excellent institutional organization, explains its 
success." He did recognize, however, that in many countries it only has a 
symbolic presence.

Oro emphasized that the IURD is widely accepted in Brazil, Argentina, 
Portugal, South Africa and the United States.  He said that one critical 
moment for the IURD will be when it has to address a successor for founder 
Bishop Edir Macedo Becerra, when he is no longer leading the institution. 
According to Oro, there could be disputes and internal divisions as there 
have been in other groups. "Its evolution is unpredictable," said Oro.

CUBA
US Church delegation returns with empty hands

By Manuel Quintero
HAVANA, January 30, 2004 (alc). Representatives from the U.S. National 
Council of Churches (NCC) returned to their country this week without 
achieving the two major, public objectives of their visit to Cuba: to meet 
with inmates on the Guantanamo Naval Base and to obtain the freedom of 
political dissidents facing long prison sentences in Cuba.

The fact that both issues were on the Council's agenda reflects its aim to 
achieve a certain political balance in the eyes of the US public after the 
NCC led a prophetic rejection of military intervention in Iraq, placing 
itin a minority position within the country.

   On December 8, the NCC General Secretary the Rev. Bob Edgar wrote to 
Secretary of State Colin Powell, Attorney General John Ashcroft and Defense 
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, requesting permission for a small inter-faith 
delegation to visit the detained.

   The United States is holding more than 600 people from 40 countries in 
Guantanamo. The prisoners are in a type of legal limbo. Despite reiterated 
requests from human rights groups, they have not been recognized as 
prisoners of war.

On January 16, a few days before the NCC delegation traveled to Cuba. The 
Rev. Edgar received a negative response from Jeffrey M. Starr, principal 
director for Special Operations Program Support in the Defense Department.

   Regarding the Cuban political prisoners, a week before their visit to 
Cuba, spokesmen from the Council made public their interest in meeting with 
President Fidel Castro to lobby for the release of the dissidents.

However, once they were in Cuba, members of a delegation from the Council, 
lead by the Rev. Edgar, accepted an initiation to a reception at the home 
of an official responsible for the Office on US Interests in Havana.

Leaders from Cuban opposition movements and groups also attended the 
reception, who published a letter demanding that the visitors lobby for the 
freedom of the political prisoners on the island. The event was also 
attended by the wives and mothers of the inmates jailed in a controversial 
process in April and June 2003.

Clearly, neither the meeting with political dissidents nor statements to 
the press helped the Council achieve its objectives.   After a fruitless 
five-day wait the delegation was not received by President Castro and a 
meeting with the head of the Cuban parliament, Ricardo Alarcsn, was 
canceled at the last minute.

Moreover, in comparison with similar events, there was a conspicuous 
absence of national press and government officials at an event to discuss 
how international Church councils can accompany Churches and the Cuban 
people, including a strategy to strengthen opposition to the blockage 
against the island both within the United States and abroad.

Contradictory reactions

   The failure provoked contradictory reactions within the US 
delegation.   The Rev. Fred Morris, the NCC director for Latin America, 
admitted that an amnesty for the Cuban dissidents would "facilitate" the 
work of those who struggle against the US blockade.

However, this same official, in statements to the Associated Press, denied 
that his group had lobbied Castro, as reported by some press and by the 
relatives of the inmates.

"Yes, there was a letter addressed to Castro requesting an interview with 
him ... but this issue (lobbying in favor of the opposition) was not on our 
agenda," said Morris.

At a meeting on January 23 in Havana with the delegation, the Rev. Edgar 
had manifested that one of the aims of the meeting with Castro was to 
"suggest" the release of some or all of the dissidents.

In a press note dated January 13, the NCC said it was "hoping to discuss 
church concerns and issues pertaining to U.S.-Cuban relations, including 
the harsh sentences imposed on 75 dissidents by Cuba's courts in spring
2003."

Commenting on the situation, an official from the Cuban Council of Churches 
(CCC) said that the way the NCC raised the issue was likely behind the lack 
of positive response from the government.

He added that the intervention of the NCC could be detrimental to the work 
the CCC began last year to request the release of some of the political 
prisoners.

"We had raised the issue before the president of the parliament and other 
authorities and they had promised to study the issue," he said, adding that 
the Evangelical legislators supported the CCC's work.

Initially the CCC had requested the release of some inmates with serious 
health problems. These included economist Oscar Espinoza Chepe, who has 
cirrhosis and Martha Beatriz Roque, another economist, who has diabetes. 
Under Cuban law, seriously ill inmates can be placed under house arrest.

Some Cuban Church leaders believe that it is possible that the government 
might release a reduced number of political prisoners on the eve of the 
Human Rights Commission meeting in Geneva. However, these leaders also 
recognize that the political situation subordinates any humanitarian 
gesture to the logic of the confrontation between the two nations, which 
tends to peak during US electoral periods.

In any case, the failure of the NCC delegation demonstrates that neither 
government is willing to cede in issues it considers important for national 
security. It also demonstrated the need for greater coordination in 
relations between Cuban and US Church bodies if they wish to be efficient 
instruments for human rights defense and the re-establishment of normal 
relations between two countries. (049/2004).

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