Archbishop Luckert: Don’t be surprised if Chavez starts inventing things against the Church

Caracas, Venezuela, Dec 11, 2007 / 10:39 am

The vice president of the Bishops’ Conference of Venezuela, Archbishop Roberto Luckert, expressed his solidarity this week with Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino of Caracas, who has been the target of recent attacks on the Church by Chavez supporters.

Speaking on Union Radio, the archbishop criticized President Hugo Chavez for his attacks on the bishops, especially against Cardinal Urosa, who was assaulted last Friday by Chavez supporters as he left his residence.

“I think that violence accomplishes nothing, and I think that what happened to Cardinal Urosa does not add to the government, but rather takes away from it,” Archbishop Luckert said.  He called on Venezuelans to voice their concern over the actions of radical Chavez activists, “paid by the government,” who continuously harass Church officials.”

The archbishop said he was confident that the Venezuelan people would continue supporting the Church despite the threats by President Chavez. “Don’t be surprised if he starts inventing things against the Church,” he added.

Archbishop Luckert called on the government to work for unity and to solve the country’s problems, “and not to engage in so much demagoguery outside the country by trying to resolve problems in Nicaragua, Bolivia and Argentina.”