Religious symbols could decide the struggle for Venezuela's soul
<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Sunday, May 18, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue
Seeking explanations for President Hugo Chavez Frias' constant use of religious expressions, taking out a crucifix from his pocket and calling Jesus Christ, "Commander-in-Chief of the Revolution," opposition and foreign critics have been hard-pushed to sell the Chavez-is-a Communist card.
The opposition and Catholic Church leaders have also been using religious symbols, such as Our Lady of Coromoto to counter an alleged Communist takeover of Venezuela.
Jesuit Ignacio Castillo says there has been an historic link between religion, religious symbols and socio-political realities, which is present in societies that preach separation between Religion and State.
The phenomenon in Venezuela has been a stumbling-block to orthodox Marxists and Capitalists in equal doses ... it seems that religious faith continues to agglutinate and move social sectors both for and against change.
"We are in a situation where religious symbols have been taken as political banners giving rise to extremes, such as trucks laden with holy water spraying opposition followers and some presidential gestures ... inside the government there must be a lot of Marxists biting their tongues every time Chavez Frias takes out his crucifix."
Castillo criticizes the use of religious symbols to prove that God is on one's sides ... "as a Christian, I believe that no power is sacred and I cannot identify God with any historical situation." To do so, Castillo affirms, is dangerous because it locates the political debate in terms of a struggle between religious symbols and appeals to the emotions. "When I identify the sacred with a political tendency, I am practicing fundamentalism."
Castillo also criticizes the President's use of New Testament quotes as quite "de-contextualized" or out of context.
The Jesuit hints that Chavez Frias has been influenced by the Evangelicals ... "it was especially strong during his period in jail at Yare ... but his religiosity has touches of syncretism from wandering souls (animas) to Santeria ... really postmodern ... anything goes in his speeches."
Like many other Venezuelans, Chavez Frias, Castillo contends is the son of (Venezuelan religious icons) Maria Lionza and Jose Gregorio Hernandez as well as folklore figures: Dona Barbara and Martin Valiente.
Castillo's colleague, Pedro Trigo adds another perspective, suggesting that before one can assess the use of religious symbols in a political context, it is important to remember biblical history. "The Roman Empire Procurator ordered Jesus' execution on behalf of the Jewish political-religious leaders ... he was executed as a rebel for political motives."
The accusation was false, of course, because two powers came together to get rid of someone, who wasn't political or a military threat to Rome, who wasn't armed but who did provoke a more dangerous movement.
Trigo says the problem lies in the use of religious symbols and the behavior of those who use them. "From a Christian point of view, holding crucifixes or using Statues of the Virgin Mary do not guarantee honesty of the acts that are shielded behind such expressions of faith."
Castillo highlights the use of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary by government and opposition. "It's a symbolic struggle between the two symbols: Jesus who uses a whip to rid the Temple of corrupt tradesmen and the Virgin symbolizing motherhood and a peaceful side supposedly identified with the opposition's attitude."
There is belief among the more religious opponents of the government that Chavez Frias is afraid of the Virgin, which could explain the use of pilgrimages and a rash of apparitions and statues of the Virgin with tears etc.
Castillo jokes that Chavez Frias has made Jesus Christ fight with the Virgin. However, it could boil down to a struggle between (synchretized) Catholics and Evangelicals for the soul of Venezuela ... Catholics desperate to hold on to what they had and the Evangelicals to make inroads.