LIMA, Peru, March 26, 2015 (LifeSiteNews.com) – On Saturday, the Peruvian capital played host to a massive demonstration for life as hundreds of thousands of pro-life citizens filled the streets for Lima’s annual March for Life.
Organizers estimated the crowd was at least 500,000 people, meaning the event now rivals the March for Life in Washington, D.C. for the largest annual pro-life gathering in the world.
LifeSiteNews interviewed Carlos Polo, a member of the organizing committee of director of the Population Research Institute in Latin America. According to Polo, the event was “the greatest civic gathering the history of Peru.” We present the full interview here.
How many marches for life have there been in Peru?
The first march held in Peru on the subject of life was the August 16, 2004 in protest over the distribution of the morning-after pill. It was organized mainly by Dra. Blanca Neyra, one of the leaders of the organization CEPROFARENA, which is closely related to the Catholic Church and the pro-life movement. Then, from 2007 onwards, CEPROFARENA organized marches around the 25th of March, which is the day of the unborn. In recent years, Ms. Nancy Freundt, has taken over the organization of the marches.
The style of the march was inspired in part by the March for Life in the United States, where Americans have marched every year on January 22 in front of the Supreme Court in order to protest the legalization of abortion. The main concept used in Lima was similar to US: defend unborn children from abortion, the most repeated motto is “be the voice of the voiceless” and we used pictures of aborted babies to contrast them with pictures of children who are allowed to be born.
The marches in Peru were gathering an average of 20,000 people. But in 2012 there was a problem with the organization of the march when they decided to organize it in El Callao, and only about 5,000 (mostly Catholic pro-lifers) showed up that year.
In 2013, Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani decided that the Archdiocese should take over the organization of the march for life in order to increase the participation of the faithful and the unity of the church groups around the pro-life topic. And the impact thereby increased. Unfortunately, the previous organizer, Ms. Nancy Freundt opposed almost all proposed changes to the march and eventually left the organization only to generate some conflicts prior to and during the march.
However, with the changes, the participation in the March in 2013 was much greater (over 100,000 people) and the media impact improved significantly (panoramic photo on the front page of El Comercio, very favorable report in RPP, TV channels, radio and diverse press).
After the March for Life in 2013, it was decided to institutionalize an organizing committee, which meets monthly, composed of delegates from 17 ecclesiastical movements and 120 parishes in Lima.
The 2014 March for Life drew more than 250,000 people in Lima and another 250,000 in other cities in several provinces, among others in the Diocese of Piura and Tumbes (5 cities), the Archdioceses of Arequipa and Cuzco, and the Huancayo diocese. In addition we held marches for the first time in the cities of Trujillo, Cañete and Iquitos.
Did the Catholic Church participate in organizing the event?
Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, on behalf of the Archdiocese of Lima, for the third year, presided over the event. However, the organization of an event of this magnitude could not have been realized without the participation of scores of civil associations and hundreds of people of good will. This was readily evident on the day of the march. Banners with the names of very different institutions were visible: schools, aid centers, ecclesial movements, religious congregations, evangelical churches, individual parishes, etc. It was a truly popular and diverse gathering.
What was the impact of the March in the media?
Spectacular. The mainstream media on TV, radio and newspapers all reported on the march. The March for Life has been the greatest civic gathering in the history of Peru. There were shots from a helicopter and the speaker never tired of repeating that the images were stunning.
How many people participated in the march this year?
We estimate that more than 500,000 people, as was announced at the end of the event by Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani. And the images from the helicopter support the finding. It was an endless sea of humanity that doubled the length of blocks covered last year. We heard some criticism from abortion organizations regarding the estimated number of participants in the march, but the irony is that their public events hardly summon even 100 people. We know they are simply wishing to spoil the party.
Do you think that the March can influence politicians to not accept the legalization of “therapeutic” abortion in Peru?
Unfortunately, the rule regulating therapeutic abortion, although it is unconstitutional and legal problems, is already in effect in Peru. Of course our side, from the Medical College of Peru to other professional and civic groups are repeatedly requesting the repeal of this regulation. On the stage of the march was the Dean of the Medical College of Peru who is firmly opposed to this policy and has called for its repeal. And it is not the only organization of medical professionals which has stated that the so called “therapeutic” abortion protocol approved by this government accomplished no good but instead only allows for abortion minded, unprofessional doctors to profit from the distress of the poor and from women in difficult situations. Every year congressmen have been present at the march, but this year, Juan Carlos Eguren, president of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights of the Congress of Peru, was able to see the crowd celebrating life and understand first hand that the Peruvian people do not want abortion.
Are there plans to organize another similar event?
Next year's March for Life will make history again. We cannot advance too many details but can comment that thanks to divine Providence, the march will take place a few days before the general elections for President and Congress. Never again will we elect leaders who turn their back to the people and promulgate rules contrary to our ways in order to please the likes of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
Was there any reaction from abortion lobby because of the March?
Of course. Every year they do. They have tried everything. It is always a group of about 10 people trying to block the road with slogans full of intolerance and discrimination, towards Cardinal Cipriani, the Catholic Church and hatred for the family. They try to cloud over that which otherwise is a very bright, peaceful and very happy gathering with their threats and intolerance. This year they fared worse than ever. Nobody paid any attention to them and the media didn't cover them at all.