Father Pedro Freytes in St. Peter's Square signature campaign

www.vheadline.com Posted: Sunday, February 09, 2003 - 1:11:47 PM By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

According to pro-government sources, the Rector of the Venezuelan seminary at the Vatican, Father Pedro Freytes was prominent in organizing an anti-government signature campaign in St. Peter’s Square to coincide with the Coordinadora Democratica (CD) activity in Caracas.

Father Freytes worked for Vatican Radio before returning to Venezuela in the late 90s to take up the post of Venezuelan Episcopal Conference (CEV) secretary.  He gained fame as a rabid anti-Chavist by attacking President Chavez Frias for allegedly attempting to create a parallel church in Venezuela.

Unconfirmed reports say Freytes, wearing a tricolor baseball cap, had gathered Venezuelan pilgrims and ex-pats in Rome during the Pope’s Sunday Angelus prayer to sign the recall referendum and other petitions.