15th December, 2015
Roman Catholic Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino has called for an amnesty in Venezuela, saying that there were "many people" who have been detained "without serious allegations" after criticising the government.
Cardinal Urosa, the archbishop of Caracas, made the comments in an interview with the local television in the wake of congressional elections held on 6th December. Opposition parties won a significant victory in the elections which commentators have said augurs a power struggle between them and the government of President Nicolás Maduro, successor to late President Hugo Chávez.
Agenzia Fides reports that Cardinal Urosa said the Venezuelan Government should listen to the voice of the people and that opposition leaders must act with great humility.
"I think there should be an amnesty law, there are many people who are detained without serious allegations," Fides quoted him as saying in reference to young people arrested for expressing disagreement or their criticism of the government on social media. "My heart goes out to those detained in these cells in Sebin or in the prison of La Tumba, some simply for having writen a tweet, these must be released!"
Cardinal Urosa said he invited everyone to be calm, but noted that "the president has an obligation to promote peace and not to express violent speeches".
– DAVID ADAMS (with Agenzia Fides)