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### Viewing cable 02VATICAN5607, HOLY SEE URGES CHURCH TO PROMOTE VENEZUELAN

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
02VATICAN5607 | 2002-11-19 09:35 | 2011-06-26 00:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Vatican
Appears in these articles: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/06/21/116233/wikileaks-venezuelan-prelates.html

`

    This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 005607

    SIPDIS

    FOR EUR/WE

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2012
    TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM VT PGOV PHUM VT VE VEPREL
    SUBJECT: HOLY SEE URGES CHURCH TO PROMOTE VENEZUELAN
    DIALOGUE, AVOID POLITICAL ACTIVISM

    REF: A. A) CARACAS 3281 B) CARACAS 3415

         ¶B. C) POWELL/FROWICK EMAIL 11/12/02

    CLASSIFIED BY: AMB. JIM NICHOLSON, REASON E.O. 12958 1.5 (B,D)

    -------
    SUMMARY
    -------

    ¶1. (C) THE HOLY SEE IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF CIVIL
    VIOLENCE IN VENEZUELA IN THE COMING MONTHS, AND THE POPE
    HIMSELF HAS URGED THE VENEZUELAN BISHOPS TO "COOL IT" ON
    POLITICAL ACTIVISM AND INSTEAD TO ENCOURAGE DIALOGUE.  THE
    HOLY SEE VIEWED THE BISHOPS' OCTOBER LETTER ENCOURAGING
    DIALOGUE, READ IN VENEZUELAN CHURCHES, AS A POSITIVE STEP.
    HOLY SEE DIRECTOR OF CARIBBEAN AFFAIRS MSGR. GIORGIO LINGUA
    WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE VENEZUELAN CHURCH WAS FACILITATING
    POLITICAL DIALOGUE IN ANY WAY OTHER THAN BY PROVIDING A VENUE
    FOR TALKS.  HE SAID THE HOLY SEE HOPES VENEZUELANS WILL
    REFRAIN FROM DANGEROUS STREET PROTESTS AND AN INCONCLUSIVE
    CONSULTATIVE REFERENDUM, AND INSTEAD MAKE FULL USE OF THE
    TIME TO PREPARE FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL RECALL REFERENDUM IN
    AUGUST.  IN LIGHT OF CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR CHAVEZ AMONG THE
    VENEZUELAN POPULATION, LINGUA WAS NOT SANGUINE ABOUT THE
    OPPOSITION'S CHANCES OF SUCCESS, EVEN IF THEY CONCENTRATE
    FULLY ON ORGANIZING FOR AN AUGUST RECALL REFERENDUM. LINGUA
    ACKNOWLEDGED THAT CARDINAL ARCHBISHOP VELASCO GARCIA OF
    CARACAS HAD BEEN TOO CLOSE TO THE COUP PLOTTERS LAST APRIL.
    FORMER VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR QUINTANA TOLD AMBASSADOR
    NOVEMBER 18 HE FEARED A VIOLENT DENOUEMENT IN VENEZUELA.  END
    SUMMARY

    ---------------------------
    LOWERING THE CHURCH PROFILE
    ---------------------------

    ¶2.  (C)  POLOFFS MET WITH HOLY SEE DIRECTOR FOR CARIBBEAN
    AFFAIRS MSGR. GIORGIO LINGUA NOVEMBER 7 AND AGAIN NOVEMBER 14
    TO DISCUSS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S VIEWS OF THE DEVELOPING
    CIVIL CONFRONTATION IN VENEZUELA.  LINGUA SAID HE WAS WORRIED
    ABOUT THE DETERIORATION OF THE POLITICAL SITUATION, AND
    INDICATED THAT THE HOLY SEE HAD COUNSELED THE VENEZUELAN
    CHURCH TO BACK OFF FROM WHAT HAD BEEN AN OVERLY VISIBLE
    PRESENCE DURING THE APRIL 2002 ATTEMPTED COUP.  LINGUA TOLD
    US THAT WHEN THE VENEZUELAN BISHOPS MADE THEIR "AD LIMINA"
    VISIT TO REPORT TO THE POPE IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR (NOTE: THESE
    OCCUR ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE, ROUGHLY EVERY FIVE YEARS), THE
    POPE HAD TOLD THEM TO "COOL IT" ON THEIR POLITICAL ACTIVISM.
    LINGUA, SMILING, THOUGHT THE MESSAGE FROM THE POPE "MIGHT NOT
    HAVE SUNK IN."  HE ADMITTED THAT CARDINAL ARCHBISHOP VELASCO
    GARCIA OF CARACAS WAS PERHAPS TOO CLOSE TO THE COUP PLOTTERS,
    AND DEMONSTRATED POOR JUDGMENT IN PARTICIPATING IN THE
    CARMONA "INAUGURATION CEREMONY."

    ¶3. (C)  THE HOLY SEE WOULD PREFER THAT THE VENEZUELAN CHURCH
    NOT ENGAGE IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS DIRECTLY, BUT RATHER SEEK
    TO STIMULATE A PEACEFUL DIALOGUE BETWEEN VENEZUELA'S
    POLITICAL ELEMENTS.  TO THAT END, THE HOLY SEE, THROUGH ITS
    NUNCIO, HAD WORKED WITH THE VENEZUELAN BISHOPS CONFERENCE TO
    DRAFT A LETTER READ OCTOBER 20 FROM ALL VENEZUELAN PULPITS.
    LINGUA SHOWED US A SPANISH LANGUAGE TEXT OF THIS LETTER AND
    SAID IT WAS A CONSTRUCTIVE STEP.  THE LETTER MADE AN
    "ANGUISHED APPEAL" TO THE PEOPLE TO OVERCOME THE MOUNTING
    TENSIONS IN THE NATION AND CALLED FOR A PEACEFUL SOLUTION.
    THE BISHOPS REAFFIRMED "THE IMPERATIVE TO AVOID ALL VIOLENCE,
    WITH ITS FATAL CONSEQUENCES, AND TO TAKE POSITIVE STEPS
    TOWARD UNDERSTANDING AND AGREEMENTS THAT WILL MAKE
    COEXISTENCE POSSIBLE." AT THE SAME TIME THE LETTER EMPHASIZED
    THAT "THERE IS A RIGHT TO GIVE ONE'S OPINION, TO ASSOCIATE,
    AND TO PROTEST FREELY," AND REMINDED PARISHIONERS THAT IT WAS
    THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE PUBLIC
    SECURITY AND ORDER.

    ¶4.  (C)  ASKED ABOUT THE POLITICAL ROAD AHEAD, LINGUA SAID
    THE HOLY SEE HOPES VENEZUELANS WILL REFRAIN FROM DANGEROUS
    STREET PROTESTS AND AN INCONCLUSIVE CONSULTATIVE REFERENDUM,
    AND INSTEAD MAKE FULL USE OF THE TIME TO PREPARE FOR A
    CONSTITUTIONAL RECALL REFERENDUM IN AUGUST.  POINTING OUT
    THAT CHAVEZ STILL ENJOYS CONSIDERABLE, THOUGH ERODING,
    POPULAR SUPPORT, LINGUA WAS NOT SANGUINE ABOUT THE
    OPPOSITION'S CHANCES OF SUCCESS, EVEN IF IT CONCENTRATES
    FULLY ON ORGANIZING FOR AN AUGUST RECALL REFERENDUM.

    ---------------------------------
    FACILITATING DIALOGUE BUT NO MORE
    ---------------------------------

    ¶5.  (C)  AFTER RECEIVING REF B, WHICH INDICATED A CHURCH ROLE
    IN FACILITATING VENEZUELA'S POLITICAL DIALOGUE IN CONJUNCTION
    WITH OAS ENVOY GAVIRIA, WE CHECKED WITH LINGUA AGAIN TO SEE
    WHETHER THE HOLY SEE HAD CHANGED ITS APPROACH SINCE OUR
    PREVIOUS MEETING, AND WHETHER THIS NEW ROLE INDICATED THAWING
    RELATIONS BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND PRESIDENT CHAVEZ.  LINGUA
    DOWNPLAYED THE EXTENT OF THE CHURCH'S ROLE, INDICATING IT HAD
    ONLY PROVIDED A MEETING SPACE AND HAD NOT MEDIATED ANY OF THE
    DISCUSSIONS.  AT ANY RATE, HE SAID, THE MEETING SPACE AT THE
    SEMINARY OUTSIDE OF CARACAS PRESENTED LOGISTICAL
    DIFFICULTIES, AND SO THE PARTICIPANTS WOULD NO LONGER MEET
    THERE.  HE EXPRESSED SOME SATISFACTION THAT CHAVEZ HAD AGREED
    TO USE THAT FACILITY, BUT INSISTED THAT CHURCH/GOV RELATIONS
    WERE "NO BETTER AND NO WORSE THAN IN APRIL" (I.E. PRETTY
    BAD).  HE INDICATED THAT CHAVEZ GOONS CONTINUE TO HARASS SOME
    CLERGY, BUT AS YET NONE HAD BEEN PHYSICALLY HARMED.  HAVING
    SAID THAT, HE BACKTRACKED A BIT FROM HIS EARLIER INSISTENCE
    ON A HANDS-OFF ROLE FOR THE CHURCH, AND SAID THE HOLY SEE
    WOULD SUPPORT A FORMAL CHURCH ROLE IN FACILITATING POLITICAL
    DIALOGUE, "ONLY IF BOTH SIDES FORMALLY REQUEST IT."

    ¶6.  (C)  WE MENTIONED TO LINGUA POLLING DATA THAT INDICATED A
    MAJORITY OF VENEZUELANS THOUGHT THE CHURCH COULD INDEED PLAY
    A FACILITATING ROLE.  HE WAS SURPRISED, ADMITTING THE HOLY
    SEE BELIEVES IT HAS ALMOST NO SUPPORT AMONG VENEZUELAN POOR.
    HOWEVER, HE SAID THE HOLY SEE WOULD STICK WITH ITS ORIGINAL
    ANALYSIS -- POLITICAL ORGANIZING SHOULD FOCUS ON A
    CONSTITUTIONAL RECALL REFERENDUM FOR AUGUST NEXT YEAR.  IN
    THE MEANTIME, CHAVEZ' SUPPORT CONTINUES TO ERODE, AND THE
    MORE HE DEMONSTRATES HE CAN'T DELIVER, THE MORE HIS
    POPULARITY WILL SLIP.  ASKED WHETHER THE NUNCIO MAINTAINS A
    REGULAR DIALOGUE WITH THE OPPOSITION, LINGUA SAID NO MORE
    THAN HE HAS WITH ANY OTHER ELEMENT OF VENEZUELAN SOCIETY.

    ¶7. (C)  AT A LUNCH WITH AMBASSADOR, NOVEMBER 18, FORMER
    VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR (AND FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE)
    IGNACIO QUINTANA EXPRESSED FEARS THAT CONDITIONS WOULD
    CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE IN VENEZUELA.  QUINTANA SAID HE
    THOUGHT THAT CHAVEZ WOULD EVENTUALLY BE TAKEN OUT BY A COUP.
    IN RESPONSE TO AMBASSADOR'S QUERY WHETHER BLOOD WOULD BE
    SHED, QUINTANA SAID "YES, UNFORTUNATELY."

    -------
    COMMENT
    -------

    ¶8.  (C)  THE HOLY SEE FINDS ITSELF IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE
    SITUATION VIS-A-VIS VENEZUELA.  CLEARLY, THE CATHOLIC
    CHURCH'S RELATIONS WITH POPULIST PRESIDENT CHAVEZ ARE POOR
    AND RISK GETTING WORSE.  THE HOLY SEE, WHICH RETAINS VIVID
    INSTITUTIONAL MEMORIES OF LEFTIST SUPPRESSION OF CLERGY IN
    SPAIN AND MEXICO, WOULD NEVER WISH TO SEE RELATIONS
    DETERIORATE TO THE POINT WHERE THE CLERGY AND THE FAITHFUL
    WERE AT RISK OF PHYSICAL HARM.  NONETHELESS, THE HOLY SEE
    WOULD JUST AS CLEARLY PREFER TO SEE CHURCH/STATE RELATIONS IN
    VENEZUELA RETURN TO THE SITUATION THAT EXISTED IN THE
    PRE-CHAVEZ ERA.  LINGUA WAS ACUTELY AWARE OF IRONY OF THE
    CHURCH'S LACK OF SUPPORT AMONG THE POORER CLASSES IN
    VENEZUELA -- AND OF CHAVEZ' PUBLIC ACCUSATION LAST JANUARY
    THAT THE CHURCH WAS A "CANCER ON VENEZUELAN SOCIETY" BECAUSE
    OF ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE "OLIGARCHS."  RECALLING THAT
    CHAVEZ' OUTBURST WAS IN RESPONSE TO THE PAPAL NUNCIO'S ANNUAL
    GREETING ON BEHALF OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS, LINGUA ONLY
    HALF-JOKINGLY SAID THE HOLY SEE WAS WORRIED ABOUT WHAT
    REACTIONS WOULD BE TO WHAT THE NUNCIO WOULD SAY THIS COMING
    JANUARY.

    ¶9. (C)  COMMENT CONTINUED:  THE CONTINUED ACTIVISM OF THE
    VENEZUELAN CLERGY IN THE FACE OF THE POPE'S CAUTION DOES NOT
    SURPRISE US.  EVEN THE POPE HAS LIMITED SWAY OVER WHAT A
    BISHOP DOES IN HIS OWN DIOCESE, UNLESS HIS POLITICAL
    ACTIVITIES DIRECTLY THREATEN THE DOCTRINE AND MORALS OF THE
    CATHOLIC CHURCH OR THE HOLY SEE'S FOREIGN POLICY.  WE WOULD
    WELCOME EMBASSY CARACAS'S ASSESSMENT OF HOW RESPONSIVE TO THE
    POPE'S INSTRUCTIONS THE VENEZUELAN BISHOPS HAVE BEEN.  FROM
    WHERE WE SIT, THEIR OCTOBER 20 LETTER TO PARISHIONERS SEEMS
    AN EFFORT TO MEET THE POPE AT LEAST HALFWAY.
    NICHOLSON

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