Pope in Panama blasts 'fears and suspicions' over migration

Pope Francis has said in Panama that the Church must work to overcome the world's "fears and suspicions" of migration, and pledged his support for "all efforts" to avoid further suffering in crisis-torn Venezuela.

The pope is being kept abreast of developments in nearby Caracas, and was praying for the people of Venezuela, Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said.

Francis is supporting "all efforts" to avoid further suffering for the population, he said.

Speaking from Panama in Central America -- the hub for US-bound migrants -- Francis said on Thursday migrants were simply seeking "the minimum conditions for a better future".

The Argentine pope was addressing Central American bishops on the first day of his visit for a global gathering of young Catholics for World Youth Day.

Earlier, in a speech to government ministers and members of the diplomatic corps at the foreign ministry, he called on political leaders to reject "all forms of corruption".

Young people, he said, insisted that those in positions of authority should "lead a life that demonstrates that public service is a synonym of honesty and justice, and opposed to all forms of corruption".

He returned to the theme in his speech to bishops at the nearby 17th Century St Francis of Assisi Church.

Here, he deplored what he called "the plague" of femicide in Latin America, where some 2,800 women are killed each year, according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

"The killing of women -- our continent is experiencing a plague in this regard," Francis said, saying this and other problems like drug trafficking, gang violence and the sexual exploitation of minors and young people, were "the fruit of a culture and a society run amok".

"Often families have been broken by an economic system that did not prioritise persons and the common good, but made speculation its 'paradise,' without worrying who would end up paying the price."
"And so, we see our young people without a home, without a family, without a community, without a sense of belonging, easy prey for the first charlatan who comes along."
Francis told bishops that the church, with hospitality and acceptance, can facilitate "dialogue and help overcome fears and suspicions, and thus consolidate the very bonds that migrations -- in the collective imagination -- threaten to break."