CHAVEZ LASHES OUT AT CHURCH LEADERS -- AGAIN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 001465

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/23/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SCUL VE
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ LASHES OUT AT CHURCH LEADERS -- AGAIN

REF: A. CARACAS 000534

B. CARACAS 000256

C. CARACAS 000206

CARACAS 00001465 001.3 OF 002


Classified By: ACTING POLITICAL COUNSELOR DANIEL LAWTON,
REASON 1.4 (D)


1. (C) Summary. Catholic Church officials on July 7 issued a
pastoral letter strongly criticizing the Chavez government
and questioning the need for proposed changes to the 1999
Constitution. The Venezuelan president responded by
denouncing Venezuela's Catholic bishops publicly, while
lauding Catholic clergy members who embrace socialism and
"liberation theology." Church officials are respectfully --
and so far unsuccessfully -- seeking a dialogue with
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) officials. Privately,
they concede that Chavez' attacks are scaring away donors and
volunteers, while BRV policies are reducing state funding for
their schools and social programs. Church-state tensions are
likely to continue once Chavez releases a formal package of
proposals to change the 1999 Constitution. End Summary.

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Episcopal Conference: No to Marxist Socialism
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2. (SBU) The Catholic Episcopal Conference (CEV) released on
July 7 a four-page "Pastoral Exhortation" sharply critical of
the Chavez government. Citing their obligation to provide a
strictly religious perspective on social issues, particularly
the government's suggested proposals for constitutional
reform, the Venezuelan bishops warned against the
"establishment of a socialist system founded on the theory
and practice of Marxism-Leninism." The bishops also
qualified that "neither savage capitalism nor Marxist
socialism are the paths that help construct a more just
society." In addition, the bishops flatly stated, "Venezuela
needs the current constitution to be applied, not a new one."


3. (SBU) In the same pastoral letter, the Bishops criticized
the "anti-democractic" removal of Radio Caracas Television
network (RCTV) from the non-subscription airwaves and
expressed support for students who peacefully protest against
government decisions that violate fundamental freedoms.
Urging Venezuelans to pursue "dialogue and reconciliation,"
they expressed concerns about growing corruption and
political clientalism, Venezuela's high crime rate, and
social and public health problems. They specifically
rejected the "disqualifying, offensive, and disrespectful"
language of government officials aimed at dissenters. They
also urged that religious education remain part of the public
school system.

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Chavez: Bishops Are Pharisees
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4. (SBU) President Chavez responded by lashing out in recent
public speeches and by trying to divide the Catholic Church
into "good" and "bad" clergy. During his remarks at the July
18 swearing-in ceremony of new Defense Minister Army General
Gustavo Rangel Reyes, Chavez reiterated that he believes that
"Christ's philosophy is profoundly socialist" and that the
"authentic Christian cannot be anything but socialist; and if
one is not socialist, one cannot be Christian, but rather is
(living) a lie." Chavez once again accused Venezuela's
bishops of being "oligarchs" on the side of "tyrants who
exploit people." Chavez conveyed his regard to "the many
truly Christian priests who walk with the people," and called
the rest of the Catholic clergy "hypocritical Pharisees."


5. (SBU) During his July 22 "Alo, Presidente" broadcast,
Chavez rebuffed "bishops' attacks" on his government and his
proposed ideas for constitutional reform. He urged
Venezuelan Catholics (nominally over 90 percent of the
population) to "take the path of liberation theology" and to
ignore "bishops who are walking around lost." The Venezuelan
president added that he believes Venezuela's bishops have
"lost the harvest" and compared them to the "extreme right
that defended the dictatorship of Pinochet." When Chavez
first heard in early July that the bishops were evaluating
the need for constitutional reform, he called them
"perverted" and "little politicians."

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Catholic Clergy Standing Firm Publicly...

CARACAS 00001465 002.3 OF 002


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6. (SBU) Asked to respond to Chavez' criticisms of the
Catholic bishops by the media, members of the Episcopal
Conference have so far publicly stood their ground on
substance, while at the same time reiterating their interest
in dialogue with the government. Episcopal Conference
President Ubaldo Santana told the media July 22 that the
bishops' criticism is not intended to harm anyone but rather
to secure "the best government officials possible." He
lamented that the Chavez government has not opened a "calmer"
dialogue with the Church. Father Aldo Fonti, Deputy
Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference, said the

SIPDIS
personal attacks on the bishops offend "all Catholic people"
and urged the BRV to accept a dialogue based on "mutual
respect and trust."


7. (SBU) Bishop Roberto Luckert, the Vice President of the
Episcopal Conference of Venezuela, was more outspoken. He
told the media that President Chavez' constitution reform
proposal to do away with presidential term limits is a
"barbarity." Luckert added that it seems like Chavez thinks
"we Venezuelans are foolish and ignorant, and that we don't
understand that this is part of Fidel's (Castro's)
example..." Ovidio Perez Morales, President of the Plenary
Council of Venezuela, told the press that Chavez' attacks on
the Catholic clergy have become "a type of presidential
custom."

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...But Feeling the Pressure Privately
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8. (C) Privately, Catholic Church officials tell us that they
are concerned about Chavez' open hostility to the Catholic
Church. Jose Gregorio Guarenas, a Church human rights
defender, told Poloff July 23 that Chavez' attacks on
Catholic bishops have affected social programs affiliated
with the Church. He noted that some donors and volunteers
have started to distance themselves from Church-run social
organizations, such as Caritas and the Church's Human Rights
Office. In turn, a Caritas leader told Poloff recently that
a Catholic priest expressed concern about her participation
in an upcoming USG International Visitor Program (IVP),
fearing political repercussions from the BRV.


9. (C) Guarenas also told Poloff that the BRV is reducing its
subsidies for Catholic schools, including schools in poor
areas. Constantino Noe, the Episcopal Conference's National
Coordinator for Education, reports that Miranda state has
informally barred religious instruction in all public
schools, and two states have ceased contracting Catholic
personnel to assist with religious instruction. Noe said the
Church fears that Chavez intends to rewrite Article 59 of the
1999 Constitution, which guarantees that parents will receive
a religious education for their children consistent with
their beliefs, to prohibit any religious instruction in
public schools.

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Comment
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10. (C) President Chavez' most recent attacks against
Catholic bishops follow similar attacks in March and January
(Reftels). Whenever Church leaders have expressed concerns
about the direction or performance of his government, Chavez
has responded with vitriolic, personal attacks. He continues
to try to discredit critical messengers rather than actually
dispute the substance of their criticism. Although typically
thin-skinned toward criticism, Chavez may be overreacting to
the Catholic bishops' concerns because the Catholic Church
remains one of the few independent and influential
institutions in Venezuela capable and willing to chide Chavez
and oppose his radical plan of government. Chavez has
delayed the release of his proposals for constitutional
reform, but promises to release his ideas "soon."
Church-state tensions are likely to continue during the
upcoming constitutional reform debate.

FRENCH