Caracas, Venezuela, Oct 6, 2004 / 22:00 pm
During opening ceremonies of the Continental Meeting “New Challenges for Human Rights,” Bishop Roberto Luckert Leon of Coro, Venezuela, and President of Caritas in that country, stated that the defense of human rights by the Church is unique from that of other organizations because the efforts of Catholics are based on the social teachings of the Church.
During opening remarks for the gathering, the bishop underscored that “in its long and arduous task, Caritas of Venezuela has found a close partner for the problems it addresses and in the area of human rights.”
The bishop explained that “the concept of human rights has expanded the notion of citizenship, evolving from a strictly judicial or normative sphere to include rights of a social and environmental character, which have to do with access to prosperity and sustained development.”
Bishop Luckert warned, however, that “poor and vulnerable families and communities lack human, social and political capital. Therefore they have no voice. This lack of a means to make known their concerns, to be heard, and to participate in decision-making limits their access to the national democratic life and therefore, their capacity to exercise their political, social, economic, civil and cultural rights.”