Rome, Italy, Nov 15, 2007 / 10:22 am
The leaders of the Bishops’ Conference of Latin America have sent a letter to the Bishops’ Conference of Venezuela expressing their solidarity with the bishops of that country who have been the target of attacks by President Hugo Chavez for expressing their opinions about his “constitutional reform.”
According to the Fides news agency, the letter signed by the president of CELAM, Archbishop Raymundo Damasceno Assis of Aparecida, and its vice president, Auxiliary Bishop Victor Sanchez Espinosa of Mexico City, states that CELAM “is following the present process of constitutional reform in Venezuela with profound interest and a spirit of solidarity.”
The letter expresses support for the statement by the Venezuelan bishops issued on October 20, in which they provided moral guidance for evaluating the proposed reforms. Despite the constructive tone of the statement, the letter continues, “certain sectors have launched attacks and insults” against the bishops.
CELAM leaders expressed their complete solidarity with the Venezuelan bishops and prayed that God would enlighten the leaders of their country to embrace tolerance and dialogue in order to find the path to development and social justice.”