Bishop denounces Chavez reforms designed to tighten grip on power

Caracas, Venezuela, Sep 27, 2007 / 09:06 am

The president of the Venezuelan Plenary Council, Bishop Emeritus Ovidio Perez Morales, said this week the constitutional reforms proposed by the government are designed to monopolize and centralize power in the hands of President Hugo Chavez.

“This is not a reform, this is another constitution,” the bishop warned, emphasizing that the Church does not take sides politically but rather sees her mission as fostering peace among all Venezuelans.

“We want to work for reconciliation,” he said.  “The Church is not aligned with either the government or with the opposition.  The Church desires and has the doors open to dialogue, she must foster tolerance, she is grieved by exclusions,” he added.

While the bishop acknowledged that everyone shares the blame for the mistakes in the Venezuela, “this country belongs to everyone.  It must be a common home, whether you embrace Socialist thinking or not.”