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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 2011-08-30 01:44 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) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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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." 

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COMMENT 
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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