Priest fears Cuban ideological crusade in alphabetization campaign

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Tuesday, May 20, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Venezuelan Catholic Education Association (AVEC) president, Father Ramon Rivas says he fears that President Hugo Chavez Frias' alphabetization program announced last Sunday could introduce Venezuelans to Cuban thought patterns. 

"There is a fear ... I can't prove it but within the general context of the current situation, it wouldn't be surprising if each alphabetizer brought in from Cuba tries to get people to think like Cubans and not only learn to read but to assume Cuban ideology." 

Rivas complains that there are plenty of educators in Venezuela and there is no need to bring in Cubans. 

During his Sunday radio broadcast, President Chavez Frias had announced that he would be using the Cuban experience because of its use of broadcast media to complement reading and writing for adults. According to the President, Venezuela has 10% of inhabitants that can't read or write and he made it clear that experts from Venezuela and Cuba would set up the program.