Bishops: Reverse Venezuela’s ‘deterioration’

July 07, 2011

In a pastoral message celebrating the bicentennial of Venezuela’s independence, the nation’s bishops paid tribute to those who freed the country from colonialism and called upon citizens to reverse the nation’s “deterioration.”

“Our country is going through an increasingly difficult sociopolitical situation,” the bishops said in their statement. “In fact, while many nations are experiencing a systematic, progressive, and accelerated development, Venezuela has undergone a steady deterioration in economic and social terms, which implies being left outside the global trend of the changes that enable sustainable development.”

Decrying recent attacks on sacred images and “the drama of inhumane prisons,” the bishops added that “the ambiguity in the defense of human rights and the inefficiency of the state to respond adequately to this major problem make us believe that the authorities are simply not interested in this situation.”

87% of the nation’s 27.9 million people are Catholic, according to Vatican statistics.

 

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Further information:

• Exhortación Pastoral (CEV)
• "It is urgent for human beings to regain respect and dignity " underline the Bishops on the occasion of the Bicentenary (Fides)
• Venezuelan cardinal asks prisoners to end revolt (CWN, 6/28)
• Venezuela’s bishops lament attacks on sacred images (CWN, 6/9)