US embassy cable - 02VATICAN1975

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 001975 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE (MENNUTI) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/22/2012 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, VE, VT 
SUBJECT: ENGAGING CATHOLIC CHURCH IN VENEZUELA 
 
REF: STATE: 73097 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON, REASON E.O. 12958 1.5 (B,D) 
 
1. (C)  PER REFTEL, AMBASSADOR MET WITH VATICAN FM EQUIVALENT 
ARCHBISHOP JEAN LOUIS TAURAN EVENING OF APRIL 19 TO URGE THE 
HOLY SEE TO TAKE AN ACTIVE AND APPROPRIATE ROLE IN SUPPORT OF 
VENEZUELAN DEMOCRACY.  TAURAN WAS WELL BRIEFED ON THE 
SITUATION IN VENEZUELA.  AS USUAL, HE REFERRED TO THE POPE'S 
STATEMENT ON THE SITUATION (PROMOTING RECONCILIATION AND 
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PEACE), GIVEN AT THE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 GENERAL AUDIENCE. 
HE WAS GUARDEDLY POSITIVE ON THE CHURCH TALKING A PLACE IN 
PRESIDENT CHAVEZ' "NATIONAL DIALOGUE," BUT SAID THAT THE 
POSITION OF THE CHURCH VIS A VIS CHAVEZ WAS UNCERTAIN, GIVEN 
THE LATTER'S HISTORICAL HOSTILITY TO THE CHURCH.  AMBASSADOR 
AGREED, RECALLING THAT CHAVEZ HAD CALLED THE CHURCH "A 
CANCER" ON THE VENEZUELAN BODY POLITIC JUST A COUPLE OF 
MONTHS AGO. 
 
2. (C)  TAURAN SAID THE CHURCH HAD TO BE CAREFUL, THAT EVEN 
THOUGH TIME WAS SHORT, THEY WOULD TAKE A LOW PROFILE UNTIL 
THE EARLY POST-COUP PERIOD PLAYS OUT.  HE SAID CHAVEZ IS 
TALKING RECONCILIATION NOW BUT, TAURAN AVERRED, CHAVEZ WAS 
NOT AT ALL TRUSTWORTHY.  THE HOLY SEE FEARS A NEGATIVE 
REACTION TO THE FACT THAT THE CARDINAL ARCHBISHOP OF CARACAS, 
VELASCO GARCIA, HAD SIGNED A DOCUMENT AT THE SATURDAY 
INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENTIAL USURPER CARMONA. 
 
3. (C)  TAURAN COUNSELED THE USG TO "PRESSURE" THE MILITARY 
AND BUSINESS CLASSES IN VENEZUELA TO SUPPORT THE NATIONAL 
RECONCILIATION NOW THAT CHAVEZ WAS BACK IN POWER.  HE 
SPECULATED THAT SOME GENERALS WHO HAD SUPPORTED THE COUP, 
HAVING SEEN THAT A CARMONA PRESIDENCY LOOKED LIKE IT WOULD 
INVESTIGATE CORRUPTION SCANDALS IN VENEZUELA, DECIDED THAT 
PERHAPS CHAVEZ WAS THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS. TAURAN DECRIED 
THE CONTINUING PRESENCE OF "THOSE 15 CUBAN ADVISORS" AND 
RECALLED THAT WHEN THE POPE MET FIDEL CASTRO IN 1998, FIDEL 
HAD SAID THERE WAS A YOUNG NEW LEADER ON THE SCENE, CALLING 
CHAVEZ "SPLENDID."  TAURAN CLOSED BY ASSURING US THAT HE 
WOULD SPEAK TO HIS NUNCIO OVER THE WEEKEND, AND WOULD STAY IN 
CLOSE TOUCH AS WE GO FORWARD. 
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NICHOLSON 
 
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