Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Tension in Venezuelan between Church and State

CARACAS, Venezuela, JULY 19, 2010 (Zenit.org).-

The Venezuelan bishops are denouncing the "unjust aggressions" of President Hugo Chávez against the Catholic Church.

Chávez leveled verbal attacks against Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino, archbishop of Caracas, and the entire Venezuelan episcopate during the nation's July 5 independence day celebrations.

The cardinal issued a written response on July 9, in which he spoke out against the "unconstitutional" and "illegal" actions of Chávez, in violation of the rights of the Venezuelan people.
Cardinal Urosa, who was in Rome at the time, returned to Caracas on July 11. The next day, the Venezuelan bishops' conference issued a statement at the close of their plenary assembly, expressing support for the cardinal and concern over the aggression of the state authorities.

"We reject the reiterated and unjust aggressions by the president of the republic against persons and institutions, wounding also the religious sentiment of several confessions," stated the bishops' communiqué.

It underlined the expectation that "top executives and officials" would "give example of the respect that all the citizens deserve."

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