Rapprochement between Chávez regime, Venezuela’s bishops?

July 12, 2012

Representatives of the Venezuelan bishops’ conference met with the nation’s vice president, justice minister, and youth minister on July 10.

“We've come to express our intention, beyond the disagreements that there have been between both institutions over these 13 years [of President Hugo Chávez’s tenure], to reestablish a climate of institutional respect and also of political and personal respect," said Vice President Elías Jaua Milano.

Bishop Mario Moronta Rodríguez of San Cristóbal “expressed the full willingness of the Church in Venezuela to contribute to generating a climate of understanding and reconciliation in the country,” according a statement issued by the episcopal conference.

“I want to publicly express my gratitude for [President Chávez’s] kindness in calling at this time to verify what was said by the vice president regarding the search for a respectful relationship through institutional channels,” added the president of the episcopal conference, Archbishop Diego Padrón Sánchez of Cumaná, following a phone conversation with Chávez.

“We hope that this relationship keeps normalizing itself.”

 

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Further information:

• Representantes del Gobierno se reúnen con Obispos en la Conferencia Episcopal (CEV)
• Chavez gov't, Venezuelan bishops resume dialogue (EFE)