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Pope tells Chavez of Venezuela concerns
AFP
VATICAN CITY
Petroleumworld.com 05 12 06
Pope Benedict XVI told Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez of his concerns about the treatment of the Roman Catholic Church in his country in an audience here Thursday, officials said.
"The pope explained his concerns about certain plans" outlined by Chavez during the 35-minute discussion, Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said.
"The pope insisted on the Holy See's prerogative to nominate bishops and expressed the hope that the Catholic university of Santa Rosa de Lima keep its Catholic identity," the spokesman said.
Benedict also insisted on the independence of the Catholic media in the country, he said.
The Venezuelan bishops' conference has frequently criticised the virulently anti-US leader of tinkering with the constitution to give himself more power. Chavez has in turn accused certain bishops of meddling in politics.
Chavez visited the Vatican while on his way to an EU-Latin America summit in Vienna.
AFP 11 1623 GMT 05 06
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