Peru’s church leaders to raise money for Venezuelan refugees

As is the case in Nicaragua where priests are helping spur on social and political change by taking a leading role in protests, elsewhere in Latin America there are priests putting faith back into the Catholic Church through their good social deeds.

In early June, Peru’s bishops will start collecting money to provide for needing Venezuelan refugees, according to Catholic Agency News.

The collections will be taking place in all Catholic churches throughout Peru on Sunday, June 3.

In a press release from the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, the bishops said they need to “respond in a manner of solidarity and resoluteness” to the Venezuelan refugee crisis. For those unable to attend church services on June 3, they can contact the Episcopal Conference to find out more information pertaining to a pair of bank accounts the bishops have set up for wire transfer donations.

The receiving bank account in Soles can be found under: 193- 34854865-0-32

And the receiving bank account using dollars is: 193- 34854869-1-36

According to Vatican News, “the donations will be used to provide food and basic necessities to the children, women, and elderly Venezuelans.”

There are believed to be between 30,000 and 40,000 Venezuelans in Peru. Next to Colombia and Chile, Peru has seen the highest influx of Peruvian migrants over the past few years.

Though Venezuelan migrants in Peru often confront xenophobia and limited opportunities, Peru does have a flexible work visa for Venezuelans who enter the country legally and have no criminal background.

It is estimated that some 4 million Venezuelans in all have fled the country in the past five years.

On Sunday, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro was reelected as president in elections that neighboring countries, through the Lima Group, refused to recognize.