Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called a Roman Catholic cardinal a coup-mongering "bandit" on Sunday after the church leader urged Venezuelans to oppose the president on the grounds he was not ruling the country like a democrat, Xiuhanet reported.
"I am convinced that what we have here is a dictatorship," El Universal newspaper quoted Cardinal Rosalio Castillo as saying.
Story Continues Below
At a live state television broadcast, waving a copy of Castillo's newspaper interview, Chavez angrily retorted the church leader, saying "He has the devil inside him ... (he's an) immoral bandit and coup-mongerer".
He also said the cardinal's attack against him should be brought to the attention of Pope Benedict. "Is this how the Vatican wants to have good relations with us?" he asked.
This current row might worsen the already strained ties between Chavez, a left-wing nationalist, and Venezuela's Catholic bishops.
Some bishops accused the president of trying to introduce an atheistic ideology to the predominantly Catholic country.
But recent opinion polls showed Chavez enjoys the support of a majority of Venezuelans because his populist government is using national oil wealth to provide free health and education programs and cheap food for the poor.
Chavez won a referendum on his rule last year and opinion pollspredicted he will win re-election in elections in late 2006.
Editor's note:
Find out about George Soros’ coup and his plan to change America – get our Special Report – Click Here Now
Fidel Castro and His Shocking Ties to Hollywood – Click Here Now
Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
Latin America
Print Page 
Forward Page 
