Venezuelan Catholic leaders, Chavez trade accusations before vote

Published: 2007-11-29

CARACAS, Venezuela (CNS) -- Days before a referendum on constitutional changes, President Hugo Chavez and Venezuelan Catholic leaders traded heated accusations, leading the National Electoral Council to announce an investigation of the political action of the bishops' conference. Archbishop Roberto Luckert Leon of Coro, vice president of the Venezuelan bishops' conference, said Chavez would try to win the Dec. 2 referendum "by whatever means he can, but would lose anyway." The archbishop told Caracol Radio in Bogota, Colombia that the "avalanche of votes (against the referendum) will be such that it will be very difficult to commit the fraud which he's always done." The 69 proposed constitutional amendments include extending the presidential term from six to seven years, removing re-election limits, giving the president power to designate local officials and permitting the government to suspend certain civil rights when it declares a state of emergency. The reforms also would declare Venezuela a socialist state. The Venezuelan bishops' conference has called the proposed reforms "morally unacceptable."

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