Venezuela’s Catholic Church takes aim at government ‘dictatorship’ as country spirals deeper into political crisis
President Maduro retains the public backing of the military high command – a key factor in keeping him in power
Venezuela’s Catholic Church raised pressure on the leftist government on Friday in a deadly political crisis, warning that its drive for constitutional reforms is turning the country into a “military dictatorship”.
“[The plan] will be imposed by force and its result will be that constitutional status will be given to a military, socialist, Marxist and communist dictatorship,” the head of the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference, Diego Padron, told a news conference.
An influential voice in Venezuela, the church has long had strained relations with President Nicolas Maduro, who is under mounting opposition and international pressure to hold early elections.
The centre-right opposition accuses Maduro of manoeuvring to cling to power against its demands for a vote on removing him. It blames him for an economic crisis that has caused shortages of food and medicine. He says the crisis is a US-backed conspiracy.
Catholic leaders tried last year to mediate negotiations between the government and opposition. The talks collapsed with the sides accusing each other of bad faith.
Constitutional status will be given to a military, socialist, Marxist and communist dictatorship
Pope Francis called this month for “an end to violence and a peaceful and democratic solution to the crisis”.