Venezuelan archbishop denounces Chavez’s new commune project

Mar 25, 2008 / 16:10 pm

The vice president of the Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Roberto Luckert of Coro, criticized a proposal by President Hugo Chavez to create Soviet-like commune cities “when decent services haven’t been provided to the cities that already exist in Venezuela for more than 500 years”.

Speaking on Union Radio, Archbishop Luckert said Coro “seems like a war zone, with all the streets torn up.  What will those poor communities that are part of the president’s illusory psychosis be like, when decent services haven’t been provided to the cities that already exist in Venezuela for more than 500 years?” he asked.

Archbishop Luckert called the president’s proposal “foolish” and a product of his fondness for Marxism, Socialism and Fidel Castro.  He also said “21st century Socialism” is a concept “only Chavez and those around him” understand and are willing to swallow.

He went on to note that Chavez wants education in Venezuela to be subject to his ideology.

The Venezuelan people used to think that he would move the country forward, the archbishop said, “but now people understand that this is not the case.” Now people realize that Chavez makes false promises that “end up as nothing,” he explained.

The archbishop warned Venezuelans to be alert against Chavez’s attempts to impose his reforms that were voted down during the referendum on December 2, 2007.