Venezuela's bishops have restarted a war of words with President Hugo Chavez by saying that Venezuela is sliding toward a dictatorship.

Calling Chavez's self-proclaimed socialist revolution "autocratic and militaristic," Archbishop Roberto Luckert Leon of Coro, vice president of the bishops' conference, expressed concern over the government's process of constitutional reform.

He said the process, in which reform proposals are drafted by a committee appointed by the president, was being carried out "behind the nation's back."

Archbishop Baltazar Porras Cardozo of Merida criticised the government, saying, "The socialism which they want to impose upon us is the Cuban regime, with everything that means for the rupture of human rights and for the freedom of people."

Catholic leaders repeatedly have described Chavez's government as authoritarian and alleged that it is weakening the nation's democratic structures and violating human rights.

In late January, the National Assembly granted Chavez the power to rule the country by decree for 18 months.

Chavez recently called Church leaders "perverts" and "liars" and told them to "read the constitution well."

"It's sad that a bishop ends up like a liar, a politician, a manipulator," Chavez said.

Since Chavez was elected president in 1998, Church officials have accused the government of trying to restrict democracy, and they supported the 2002 military-led coup against him. Chavez has denounced Church leaders as being elitist.
(CNS)