San Salvador prelate backs closing of Guantanamo

(April 25, 2012) In El Salvador, Archbishop José Luis Escobar of San Salvador said he hoped the prison in the United States Naval Base of Guantanamo would be closed, and he backed the asylum that the Salvadorian government gave two former inmates of that prison. The Archbishop called it a gesture of “humanity” that last Wednesday the government accepted, at the request of the United States, two Muslims of Chinese origin who were released from Guantanamo. “Let’s hope that the whole Guantanamo prison ends. It would be ideal for the good of the world, of democracy and of liberty,” said the prelate at a press conference after Sunday Mass in the metropolitan cathedral. Archbishop Escobar added that world opinion in general is positive about the release of many of the detained, who have been suffering imprisonment in Guantanamo for political reasons. He also said that if in this dynamic situation, it is for El Salvador to receive one, two or more of the persons, who fortunately have been freed, we do not see any inconvenience in it, as it is an issue of humanity and it is necessary that we have a positive attitude in face of situations such as these,” stressed the archbishop.