Venezuela: Chávez Calls Cardinal Castillo Lara a Bandit
Editorial | El Universal
Caracas, 17 July 2005 | President Hugo Chávez lashed back at statements made by Cardinal Rosalio Castillo Lara to El Universal, because, in his judgment, the Church’s national hierarch is “a bandit” who in the past supported the governments of Acción Democrática and COPEI.
In heated words Chávez described Castillo as “a coup monger, an immoral and pharisaic hypocrite.”
Cardinal Castillo Lara told El Universal that the upcoming elections of August 7 will be a pantomime, to which Chávez responded that “he (the cardinal) is a pantomime.”
“A hierarch calling himself God's representative has the devil within him; the devil has no respect, not even for a cassock. The Pope ought to know about this. The ambassador from the Vatican ought to know about this. And then the Vatican wants us to have good relations with them.”
He added that the prelate makes him feel “nauseated and sad.” “I feel so sorry for him, he saddens me, he makes me nauseous,” he said.
Translated by W.K.
Addendum by Alek Boyd
With his trademark, ever so gentlemanly and respectful style, Chavez delighted his audience yesterday. Here's a video clip of his remarks regarding Cardinal Castillo Lara. Hugo Chavez may well be adviced that no respectable person or institution fancies to have a good relationship with him; as Cardinal Castillo Lara rightly expressed his is “the Most Detestable Government Venezuela Has Ever Had”.
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