VenEconomy: And the Venezuelan Church has spoken! From the Editors of VenEconomy Latin American Herald Tribune January 13, 2015
On May 1 1957, it was read a pastoral letter written by the then-archbishop of Caracas, Rafael Arias Blanco, in all the churches of Venezuela. In it, he described and analyzed the precarious situation the country’s workforce was going through.
Such was the power of this liturgical piece that he managed to awaken the already restless conscience of many Venezuelans, especially students, thus sparking a series of protests that forced the dictator Marcos Pérez Jiménez to board a plane nicknamed "the sacred cow" to never return to the country.
A public statement of Venezuela’s Catholic Church signed by the bishops of the country released this week once more focused the attention of the population on the rapid political, social and economic deterioration that is plunging Venezuelans into despair and depression.
It raises the "widespread anguish of the people due to the economic crisis, because they are facing difficulties they never did before in having access to basic goods."
But, most importantly, it focuses on the origin and causes of the general crisis in "the decision of the National Government and public authorities to impose a political and economic system of Marxist, socialist or communist character." That kind of system is totalitarian and centralist, it establishes the State’s control over all aspects of the lives of citizens and public and private institutions. In addition, it infringes on freedom and the rights of individuals and associations as it has led to the oppression and ruin of all the countries where it has been applied."
The bishops categorically claimed that "the Marxist socialism is the wrong way to go, and that’s why it must not be imposed in Venezuela."
In sum, here are their proposals: 1) "A sincere and effective dialogue that leads to changes and agreements for all of us." 2) Absolute respect for human rights, and rule out the excessive violence by State officials for the control of legitimate demonstrations of the people. 3) The release of political prisoners. 4) Not using the judiciary system to intimidate and neutralize political adversaries. 5) Respect for freedom of speech and the independent media.
And they call for 1) the National Government and all public authorities to assume their responsibility in solving the problems of the country, by activating the necessary corrective measures to prevent the worsening of the crisis. 2) Leaders of the public authorities to perform their duties with impartiality and justice. 3) Leaders of the opposition to submit a joint project for a country and work for the good of Venezuela, thus overcoming the temptations of personalism. 4) The military to act with the impartiality set out in the Constitution.
They asked the political forces and the Venezuelan people in general to reject of all types of violence. And stressed that each citizen has political responsibilities that cannot be delegated. In the exercise of that responsibility we must actively and strongly exercise and defend, always through peaceful means, our rights and the rights of others, while demanding respect for the necessary conditions for a just, peaceful and fruitful national coexistence.
VenEconomy endorses every assertion and proposal contained in this forceful statement by the Catholic Church.
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