Venezuelan bishops' statement leads to war of words with president

Published: 2005-07-19

CARACAS, Venezuela (CNS) -- A statement by the Venezuelan bishops' conference criticizing Venezuela's populist government has led to a new set of verbal attacks between church leaders and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. The church statement, issued in mid-July at the close of the bishops' annual assembly, called on citizens not to permit the nation's justice system to be used to "impose an unjust legality and to punish dissidents." The statement also warned against Parliament passing laws without due consideration and consensus, saying "there are those who try to solve differences by the imposition of force ... and by the arbitrary imposition of power or of arms." Church representatives recently criticized a proposed law in Parliament to legalize abortion in some situations and often have accused Chavez of eliminating the government's checks and balances and permitting lawlessness. The church statement was followed the weekend of July 16-17 by an interview with retired Cardinal Rosalio Castillo Lara, a former Vatican official who told the El Universal newspaper that Venezuela had only a "varnish of democracy."

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