[Cincinatus' Wife]

July 11, 2003 Venezuelan Church Defends Political Role *** CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuela's Roman Catholic Church on Thursday defended its aggressive role in national politics and accused supporters of President Hugo Chavez of plotting to create divisions within the church and discredit its leaders. Church leaders "cannot be spectators" in Venezuela's political crisis, said Monsignor Baltazar Porras, president of the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference. "This is an issue that concerns the entire society, not just politicians." ***

August 1, 2001 Venezuela Catholics Condemn Church Bomb Incidents *** Earlier this year, Venezuela's Catholic bishops chided the left-leaning paratrooper-turned-president for failing to deliver promised solutions to poverty and crime. They also questioned whether his personal, populist style of rule was fully democratic.***

Hugo Chavez - Venezuela

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[wideawake]

Velasco often spoke out against Chavez, who once called the church a "tumor" and priests "devils under their cassocks."

I'm surprised there isn't a large pro-Chavez cheering section here at FR.