SAO PAULO, Brazil (CNS): A Brazilian bishop has ended a hunger strike as part of a protest against government plans to change the course of the country’s San Francisco River.
Bishop Luiz Cappio, who has lived on the banks of the river, colloquially known as “Old Chico”, for the past 26 years, started his hunger strike on September 26 and said he would continue until the government agreed to halt the project.
On October 4, the government announced it was temporarily suspending the start of the project until President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had a chance to speak personally to Bishop Cappio.
Bishop Cappio ended his huger strike after 11 days.
Although the Brazilian bishops’ conference released a note in solidarity with Bishop Cappio and his quest, some within the Church opposed his views.
The bishops’ conference secretary-general, Sao Paulo Auxiliary Bishop Odilo Scherer, said that hunger strikes – with the intention of dying if no solution is found – are not morally accepted by the Church, which has always fought in defence of human life and against any form of interruption of life, such as suicide or euthanasia.
