Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Maracay (Agenzia Fides) - His Exc. Mgr. Rafael Ramón Conde Alfonzo, Bishop of the diocese of Maracay, received university students who have been on hunger strike since early June on June 17 in the Archbishopric (see Fides 03/06/2015; 05/06/2015; 09/06/2015).
The young arrived at the meeting in ambulance and under medical supervision.
On their arrival there was a press conference, during which Mgr. Conde said: "I have already had contact with these young people before. I wanted to express my personal interest and on behalf of the Church, and I also wanted to make clear that their action is legitimate, the right to protest is mentioned in the Constitution".
Mgr. Conde assured the strikers "our prayerful support" and also announced to send the Holy Father, through the Nunciature, a document of the youth accompanied by a letter written by him. Finally, the Bishop recalled the reason for the protest and the position of the Church: "The Venezuelan Episcopal Conference has repeatedly called for the release of political prisoners. Despite the government does not want to recognize that they are political prisoners, they must obtain their release, there is no reason for them to be prisoners. In any case they are entitled to a fair trial, as established by the Constitution". Although there have been several demonstrations in this regard, the government has not yet responded to the situation. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 19/06/2015)
