Attempted takeover of nature studies La Salle Foundation

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Thursday, May 29, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

The world famous La Salle Foundation of Venezuela is confronting a delicate internal situation regarding the presidency. The La Salle Religious Brothers have appointed Brother Jose Pereda as Foundation president over 91-year old Brother Gines, who has been at the helm for the last 50 years. 

• The fuss hit the headlines when Brother Gines surprisingly declared the appointment illegal. 

The religious order's Provincial Visitor, Brother Juan Bosco Chacon presented the new president to the media and assured people that Gines' projects will be carried through, claiming that allegedly Brother Gines had agreed to make the Foundation more participative and democratic. Brother Pereda insists that the Foundation will remain faithful to its origins and continue to serve the most needy preparing them to know their roots, customs, nature and country. 

Brother Gines' legal adviser, Beatriz Di Totto claims the appointment isn't legal  because it is up to the assembly set up in February to endorse the order's appointment. "The Assembly rejected the new president ... pressure has been put on Brother Gines to subject himself to a vote of obedience ... he handed over power in February and now the Assembly is the maximum authority and not the religious order." 

Columnist Nelson Bocaranda Sardi asks: who are behind the move to wrest the Foundation away from the La Salle Brothers? Hinting that Brother Gines has been manipulated, Bocaranda Sardi suggests that fishing, mining and timber interests are the culprits ... "the first thing they did was to send a letter to the banks changing signatures." It would be interesting to discover how such vested interests managed to infiltrate the Foundation well known for its scientific and anthropological research.