Argentina: Secularist pressure on the rise

In August 2018, Christians in Argentina have been suffering from intensifying secularist pressure and violence on many fronts, involving Congress, church attacks and prosecution of medical staff.

1. As reported by Info Cielo on 29 August 2018, a bill has been presented to Congress aiming to repeal the Catholic Church"s tax exemption in the province of Buenos Aires.
2. According to Aciprensa reporting on 29 August 2018, unknown attackers threw Molotov cocktails at the doors of a historical church in the city of Cordoba, sprayed graffiti and left messages such as: "God is dead, witches aborted him" and "We are after you genocidal, fascist, rapist priests. You and your temples will burn in revenge ".
3. On 31 August 2018, AICA reported that a doctor is being prosecuted for "˜obstetric violence" and "˜breach of duty" for refusing to perform an abortion on a 19-year-old girl in her 22nd week of pregnancy.
4. On 31 August 2018, Aciprensa reported that students removed a statue of the Virgin Mary located at the entrance of the University of Cuyo, Mendoza, as a sign of support for those campaigning for the separation of Church and State. This campaign has been dubbed "the orange wave".

Rossana Ramirez, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, comments: "Following the Senate decision on 8 August 2018 not to approve any changes to the existing abortion laws, radical feminist groups have been taking aggressive action against pro-life supporters, targeting Christians, church leaders and Christian property with impunity. One of their goals is the complete separation of Church and State and a stop to any state funding of Catholic institutes. As Infobae reported on 23 August 2018, this is already a topic under discussion between the Bishops" Conference and government representatives. Secularist groups are expressing their hate of the Christian faith more openly than ever and they are being encouraged to a great extent by government authorities. Those who refuse to toe the new ideological line find themselves being attacked and prosecuted."