Venezuela’s bishops offer ‘full support’ for teachers in dispute with government

July 16, 2014

The Venezuelan Episcopal Conference has issued a statement offering its “full support” to 2,300 teachers and school staff whose wages have been slashed.

The teachers, who offer vocational training in 275 centers located in poor neighborhoods, belong to an association founded by a Venezuelan priest five decades ago, the Fides news agency reported.

In 2009, the regime of President Hugo Chávez withheld from the association half of the funds budgeted by the legislature. For much of this year as well, the regime of President Nicolás Maduro has withheld funds for teacher salaries, according to the statement.

 

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Further information:

• Declaración de la Conferencia Episcopal Venezolana sobre el caso APEP (CEV)
• "Give teachers their salaries": church’s appeal in favor of teachers (Fides)
• L’educazione non sia penalizzata (L’Osservatore Romano, p. 7)