AMERICA/VENEZUELA - Archbishop of Caracas laments attack on the Archbishop’s Residence: “What is needed is a large dose of calm and serenity.”

Caracas (Agenzia Fides) - In the early morning hours of February 27, a group of students and revolutionaries laid siege to the Archbishop’s Palace in Caracas, evacuating the personnel at work inside. Their goal was to make a public statement, through the mass media, in protest of the Catholic Church and against the private television channel “Globovision,” according to Bishop González de Zárate, Auxiliary Bishop of Caracas, who was in the ecclesial residence when the attackers ordered all employees to evacuate the building, because they were going to make their statement known. “Although they insisted that all would proceed peacefully, some of these masked-men closed offices, disconnected telephones and blocked the entrances and exits, causing a situation of tension.”
Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino of Caracas, who was not on the premises at the moment of the attack, in speaking to Venezuelans, characterized the attack as an act of violence and asked that the national government take measures in preventing further episodes. “I truly lament and detest this taking-over of the Palace, because although there was nothing destroyed nor were people harmed, it is always an act of violence to break into a place and take possession of it, preventing employees from completing their work and telling people to leave or not letting them enter the building,” he said. He also asked that authorities prevent the rise of violence. “What is needed is a large dose of calm and serenity,” he continued.
“Obviously, we should all contribute to bringing about calm, peace, and harmony. May all these things proceed on the road to democracy, through dialogue, understanding, and a common effort in finding solutions,” he added.
According to Cardinal Urosa, the attackers are “completely mistaken” in their intentions, which are “a grave error.” In his opinion, the true purpose of the revolution should be to “overcome the misery” and fight illnesses like malaria and yellow fever. Their purpose should be to offer Venezuelans decent living conditions and not this terrible situation of want, that has millions of their compatriots living in poverty amidst a record economic boom in the country.”
This is not the first time that both the Cardinal and the Bishop’s Conference of Venezuela have had to make an urgent appeal for calm and serenity and for an end to the violence that has been rampant in the country for some time. Just days ago, the country’s Apostolic Nunciature was also attacked (see Fides 18/2/2008, 19/2/2008). (RG) (Agenzia Fides 28/2/2008; righe 32, parole 406)