Venezuelan prelate urges release of political prisoners amid crisis

Venezuela’s leading prelate has urged the government to remain true to pledges made when entering cross party dialogue towards ending the country’s economic crisis. As talks between representatives of President Nicolas Maduro and opposition figures continue, Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino of Caracas spoke publicly on issues of action agreed to by government but not yet fulfilled, fuelling doubts as to its commitment to the talks process. “We must set the many political prisoners free,” Cardinal Savino insisted, referring to perhaps the most important issue for those in opposition as a gesture of goodwill from Mr Maduro, that of citizens “unjustly detained”. This, the prelate added, had been clearly signalled by Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin in a November letter when Venezuela first asked the Vatican to intervene in the Venezuelan crisis. More…