US embassy cable - 05VATICAN508

C O N F I D E N T I A L  VATICAN 000508 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (CUNNINGHAM); WHA/AND (FRIEDMAN) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  8/10/2015 
TAGS: VT, VE, PREL, PGOV, KIRF, PHUM 
SUBJECT: VENEZUELA: VATICAN NOT READY TO CHANGE TACTICS 
 
REF: A. A) VATICAN 489 
 
     B. B) MARTIN- MCISAAC JULY 20 EMAIL 
     C. C) CARACAS 2206 
     D. D)  CARACAS 2258 
     E. E) CARACAS 2326 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Peter Martin, POL, Vatican, State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
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Summary 
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1.  (C)  Holy See Deputy Foreign Minister Parolin affirmed to 
the Charge August 9 the Vatican's preference for outreach and 
dialogue with President Chavez rather than confrontation. 
Parolin took the same approach he had in a June 30 meeting with 
Post's former Charge on the subject (ref a), despite the recent 
Church-State tensions in Venezuela (ref c, d).  Parolin clearly 
did not believe recent events called for a change in the 
Vatican's approach on Venezuela and indicated that the Holy See 
was not pleased that Cardinal Castillo Lara had spoken out 
against Chavez and the government as he did, regardless of 
Chavez's role in the controversy.  Focusing on Chavez's 
treatment of the Church and his broader abuses, we will continue 
to encourage the Holy See to take a harder line on his 
government.  There may also be a further opportunity for 
movement on this issue if Pope Benedict names a new secretary of 
state (prime minister equivalent) in the fall, as he is rumored 
to do.  However, it will be difficult in this instance to shake 
the Vatican from its preference for dialogue over confrontation, 
even if the local Church is becoming more aggressive.  End 
Summary. 
 
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Vatican Favors Outreach, Despite Recent Controversy 
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2.  (C)  Holy See Deputy Foreign Minister equivalent Monsignor 
Pietro Parolin affirmed to the Charge (during his August 9 
welcome call) the Vatican's preference for outreach and dialogue 
with President Chavez rather than confrontation.  Parolin took 
the same approach he had in a June 30 meeting with Post's former 
Charge on the subject (ref a).  This also tracked with what we 
have heard at other times recently from the Vatican's 
secretariat of state (ref a, b) despite the recent war of words 
 
SIPDIS 
between Chavez and Cardinal Castillo Lara and other Church-State 
tensions (ref c,d). 
 
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"He's no Saint, but~" 
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3.  (C)  Charge noted Chavez's harsh treatment of the cardinal 
and emphasized broader U.S. concerns on Venezuela.  Parolin, 
however, clearly did not believe recent events called for a 
change in Vatican's approach on Venezuela.  In fact, he 
indicated that the Holy See was not pleased that Castillo Lara 
had spoken out as he did, regardless of Chavez's role in the 
controversy.  "We aren't happy with the situation," Parolin 
said.  "This back and forth in the media cannot help matters. 
Everyone knows who Chavez is.  We're not saying he's a saint, 
but we have to deal with him."  Parolin remains convinced that 
Chavez hopes to have a better relationship with the Church, his 
recent diatribes notwithstanding.  And the Vatican plans to give 
him more than a chance.  "As I told [the former Charge], we fear 
that a confrontational approach with drive Chavez even further 
into the arms of Castro (ref a)." 
 
4.  (C)  The Charge cited Embassy Caracas's outreach to 
Venezuelan Church leaders (ref e) and Ambassador Brownfield's 
interest in meeting the nuncio (ref d, e) as a step toward 
greater Vatican involvement in support of the Venezuelan Church. 
 Parolin did not comment. 
 
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Comment 
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5.   (C)  Parolin is concerned about Chavez and his effects on 
Venezuela and the region.  He took notice when the Charge told 
him that Chavez, making baseless claims, had just announced the 
severing of the USG's long-standing counter-narcotics 
relationship with Venezuela.  Focusing on Chavez's treatment of 
the Church and his broader abuses, we will continue to encourage 
the Holy See to take a harder line on his government.  We will 
also work with Holy See Country Director for Venezuela Nicolas 
Thevenin, who has taken a somewhat harder line than Parolin on 
Chavez in the past.  There may also be a further opportunity for 
movement on this issue if Pope Benedict names a new secretary of 
state (prime minister equivalent) in the fall, as he is rumored 
to do.  There have been signs that the current secretariat of 
state is not working in full harmony with other parts of the 
 
Vatican, including the papacy. 
 
6.  (C)  However, it will be difficult in this instance to shake 
the Vatican from its preference for dialogue over confrontation, 
even if the local Church is becoming more aggressive.  While the 
Holy See is not likely at this point to call down Castillo Lara, 
Archbishop Porras, or the Venezuelan bishops when they criticize 
Chavez, it will try its best to stay above the fray.  Parolin 
remains convinced that the confrontational approach taken by 
former nuncio to Venezuela Andre Dupuy was unproductive (ref a). 
 "Dialogue is our policy, as much as possible," Parolin 
concluded. 
 
 
SANDROLINI 
 
 
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