HOLY SEE/VENEZUELA: CARDINAL'S HAT FOR UROSA MARKS VATICAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000037

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/28/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV VT VE
SUBJECT: HOLY SEE/VENEZUELA: CARDINAL'S HAT FOR UROSA MARKS VATICAN
INTEREST

REF: (A) CARACAS 495, (B) 05 VATICAN 508, (C) 05 VATICAN 555, (D) 05 VATICAN 519, (E) VATICAN 023, (F) VATICAN 027, (G) VATICAN 034

CLASSIFIED BY: Christopher Sandrolini, Charge d'affaires a.i.,
EXEC, State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)

1. (C) Summary. The rapid elevation to Cardinal of Archbishop
Urosa is a mark of Holy See interest in Venezuela and Venezuelan
Catholics. Not incidentally, it puts Urosa in a position to
draw attention away from retired Cardinal Castillo Lara, whose
scraps with the Chavez regime have not been favorably viewed
here. End summary.


2. (C) Pope Benedict XVI named fifteen new members of the
College of Cardinals on February 22 (ref g),among them
Archbishop Jorge Liberato Urosa Savino of Caracas. As Post has
reported, Urosa's eventual elevation was likely, though not
automatic. The surprising factor was that the red hat came so
quickly for Urosa after his November installation as archbishop.
Urosa vaulted over several archbishops who had been in major
archdioceses for longer. Further, with Vatican officials
telling us to expect more frequent consistories from Pope
Benedict than from his predecessor (perhaps yearly) there was no
hurry to fit Urosa for his new cassock. The move clearly
reflects the high level of Holy See interest in Venezuela -
something that has been apparent in our conversation with top
officials and in A/S Shannon's recent visit here.


3. (C) As archbishop of Caracas, Urosa was already in a
position to take some of the limelight from retired Cardinal
Castillo Lara, as ref (a) suggested. Now, in addition, Urosa's
status as an active cardinal trumps that of his more vocal
brother in red. Although we've heard some expressions of
support for Castillo Lara's battles with President Chavez - and
nearly universal agreement with the substance of his comments --
the Secretariat of State's Section for Relations with States
(Foreign Ministry) has consistently told us that Castillo Lara's
outspoken ways are not constructive. The Holy See, preferring a
conciliatory approach to Chavez, sees Urosa as assertive without
being overly aggressive. One of our best Vatican contacts on
Venezuela confirmed to us that Urosa's elevation owes more to
political realities than to his theological or pastoral
abilities, while also emphasizing that it reflects the
importance of the situation in Venezuela rather than a slap at
Castillo Lara.

SANDROLINI