---
title: "Archbishop Ulloa urges Panama to confront child poverty and inequality"
date: 2026-04-12
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/child-poverty-panama-ulloa/
categories:
  - "Health"
  - "News"
  - "Politics"
tags:
  - "corruption"
  - "Inequality"
  - "José Domingo Ulloa"
  - "Panama child poverty"
  - "Parque Omar"
  - "Unicef"
---

# Archbishop Ulloa urges Panama to confront child poverty and inequality

## What Happened

During the 54th Eucaristic Gathering at Parque Omar, Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa delivered a forceful appeal to Panamanian society to confront child poverty. He linked poverty, corruption and impunity in his homily, saying the nation cannot ignore the impact that inequality is having on children.

Ulloa said Panama cannot be called developed while children suffer hunger, preventable illness or abandonment. His message was met with applause from hundreds of worshippers attending the mass.

## Why Child Poverty Matters

The archbishop pointed to figures from the World Bank, UNICEF and the Ministry of Social Development showing that 482,033 children in Panama live in poverty. He said one in three Panamanian children lives in poverty and one in six lives in extreme poverty.

Ulloa stressed that early childhood, from birth to age six, is decisive for a person’s full development. Allowing children to grow up marked by deprivation, he said, only deepens inequality and weakens the country’s future.

He also argued that poverty is not just a social statistic, but a human reality that demands action. In his words, children are not “cold figures,” but lives calling for justice.

## A Call to Every Sector

The archbishop directed his appeal to authorities across the three branches of government, as well as to the private sector, civil society, universities, local governments, social organizations, religious communities and labor groups. He said no one should remain outside the effort to respond to child poverty.

His remarks placed responsibility on the whole country, not just on the state. That framing reflects a broader debate in Panama over how to reduce inequality and expand opportunity for children, especially in communities where poverty remains entrenched.

## Broader Context

The Eucaristic Gathering has long been a significant religious event in Panama, and Ulloa used this year’s celebration to raise a social issue that reaches far beyond the church. By connecting faith with poverty, corruption and the country’s future, he underscored the moral pressure on public and private institutions to act.

At the event, Ulloa also noted the presence of Ángela Russo, recently elected Panama’s Ombudsperson, and Cardinal José Luis Lacunza. He closed with a special prayer for Luis Moreno and Roberto Motta, both of whom died recently and were recognized for their contributions to the church and the country.

The message resonated because it turned a religious ceremony into a public warning: a country that fails to protect its children, Ulloa said, is giving up on its own tomorrow.