Posted on 10/22/2007 9:44:05 AM PDT by Roberts
Caracas - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez slammed the nation's Roman Catholic Church leadership as "morally unacceptable" late on Sunday for criticizing his proposal to rewrite the constitution to scrap term limits.
Chavez's reform plan, which voters are expected to approve in a December referendum, also includes allowing security forces to detain citizens without charge during political "emergencies" or major natural disasters.
Church leaders on Friday issued a strongly-worded statement accusing Chavez of seeking to concentrate power with an "authoritarian" proposal to overhaul the OPEC nation's constitution that he helped rewrite in 1999.
Bishops 'make us ashamed'
"They say the reform is morally unacceptable - they are morally unacceptable," Chavez said in a government press release sent out on Sunday night. "Those bishops that we have make us ashamed."
Polls show Chavez will likely win the referendum because the proposal also includes popular moves such as shortening the workday and extending social security benefits to street vendors as part of a drive to build a socialist state.
The Church is one of the few respected, independent institutions in Venezuela and has repeatedly criticized his leftist policies and called on him to tone down his often aggressive rhetoric since he took power in 1999.
In response, Chavez, who remains popular due to his spending of oil income on the poor, portrays them as elitists who backed a failed coup against him in 2002.
Venezuelans are overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, but generally practice their faith less than their counterparts in other Latin American countries such as Mexico or Brazil.
Same place the NOW Nags are on the rights of women in Iran. Completely silent.
lol. political emergency, like an opposition protest rally??
Chavez sounds a lot like Spitzer of NY
If Arnold was running the church instead of the state, he would say the church needs to find the middle of this issue.
It seems the left is never at fault.
“Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez slammed the nation’s Roman Catholic Church leadership as “morally unacceptable” late on Sunday for criticizing his proposal to rewrite the constitution to scrap term limits.”
Yup, after you’ve started eroding personal freedoms, the church is usually next in the crosshairs.
Good little dictator.
They agree so the stay silent.They're watching....and learning.
Does anyone know what’s the Spanish for “president for life”?
Any kind of Catholicism Hugo practices involves voodoo and “indigenous” idols
Bill is definitely on to something.
So, THAT is the problem!.............
Castro.....
They're watching....and CHEERing. They already know how to do what he's doing.......
Clintones
Jimmy Carter will get a paid leave from his job shilling for Muslem-Fascism to shill unpaid(maybe) for his real ideal a Communist Leader For Life.
Where is a Jesuit when I need one to explain this to me?
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