The Catholic Church on Friday criticized the mass distribution of condoms at the Barranquilla carnival claiming it does not send the right message to festival goers.
After Colombia’s secretary of health on Friday announced that they would distribute condoms during carnival to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, the church criticized the campaign and called it irresponsible.
“The carnival is a beautiful artistic and cultural expression. And with this delivery of condoms is recommending completely irresponsible sex,” said the Archbishop of Barranquilla, Jairo Jaramillo Monsalve.
According to the Archbishop, “nine months after Carnival occurs, there happens to be completely unexpected and unwanted births.”
The government’s public health campaign claims, however, that it aims to stop just that.
“We believe that beyond recommending condom use, the campaign aims to promote a responsible and healthy sexuality,” said Alma Solano Sanchez, Barranquilla’s secretary of health.
Despite protestations, safe sex pamphlets and approximately 400,000 condoms will be distributed at the carnival.
