Caracas, Venezuela, Apr 8, 2017 / 11:09 am
A group of religious men and women in Venezuela have expressed their concern over the country's political crisis and the lack of autonomy of the branches of the federal government.
"As consecrated religious , we invite and accompany our people to demonstrate their will, joined with sound judgement and non-violence, but with forcefulness, so that the arbitrariness leading us to a situation of dictatorship is corrected," the Conference of Religious Men and Women of Venezuela (CONVER) said in an April 4 statement.
Venezuela's crisis sharpened last week after the nation's Supreme Court announced it would assume the functions of the National Assembly, but quickly made an about-face and revised its ruling.
The government and supreme court are in the hands of the Socialist Party, while the opposition gained control of the legislature in 2015. The supreme court's move last week was denounced both domestically and abroad as a coup, and despite the court's reversal large protests have been held in the capital Caracas this week.