Catholic Church Stirs Frenzy in Venezuela

News Type: Event — Tue Nov 27, 2007 7:16 PM EST

world-news, constitution, venezuela, hugo-chavez, catholic, chavez, revolution, vatican-city, bolivarian-revolution, dec-2

St. Joseph the Worker

In the lead up to Venezuela's constitutional reform vote on December 2nd, Vatican City's role in promoting opposition violence and propaganda unravel

What?

Yesterday, a story broke about a government contractor who was killed by anti-reform demonstrators:

Venezuelan Vice-President Jorge Rodríguez Monday confirmed that a man was killed amidst protests and riots staged in Maracay, central Aragua state, and Valencia, central Carabobo state, by demonstrators opposed to the constitutional reform who burnt tires, and blocked streets.

José Aníbal Oliveros Yépez (19) was a worker with a government firm. He was going to work when he ran into demonstrators who blocked the street. When he insisted in traversing the street, one of the demonstrators fired a gun and killed him.

SOURCE

Today, Spero News(a catholic propaganda rag) released a story by a former US diplomat, which completely rearranged the story:

Just five days before a historic constitutional referendum in Venezuela, a 19 year-old oil worker was killed in the state of Aragua after being shot three times. Jose Oliveros was shot in the back in Guacara in central Venezuela where he was he was a member of oil workers attempting to travel on a road blocked by supporters of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. Police arrested some 80 protesters in Aragua and neighboring Carabobo where injuries to protesters were reported.

SOURCE

Meanwhile, priests have been involved in promoting the violent opposition's demonstrations:

Venezuelan authorities today denounced the participation of some priests in actions inciting violence, and asked the national catholic hierarchy to condemn that stance.

Communication and Information Minister William Lara told Venevision TV channel that yesterday, some churches in Carabobo used their sermons to provoke disturbances.

SOURCE

Why?

Apparently Vatican City is bent out of shape about a decrease in donations to the church:

The Catholic hierarchy remains outspoken against Venezuela's government, mostly because Chavez "slashed state subsidies to the Catholic Church -- by up to 80 percent, according to some estimates."

SOURCE

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Groups: Activism, Communists, Hands Off Venezuela!, Political Analysis, The Protest Chronicles, Workingclass Heroes
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