ROME (LifeSiteNews) — A Catholic journalist from Venezuela has been assaulted at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome while asking a question seen as critical of Venezuela’s government.
Last Friday, Edgar Beltrán, The Pillar’s Rome correspondent, attended an event at Rome’s Lateran University to celebrate the upcoming canonization of the first two Venezuelan saints: St. José Gregorio Hernández and St. María del Carmen Rendiles.
In a room filled with Venezuelan civic officials, Beltrán asked Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra about the Venezuelan government’s use of canonization for political purposes. Peña Parra is the substitute for the Secretariat of State for the Holy See and also from Venezuela.
When Peña Parra began to answer the question, a Venezuelan man stepped in to interrupt the exchange, telling Beltrán that he could not ask questions about the government.
The Pillar journalist described the situation: “As Peña Parra tried to continue, the man took my phone from my hands and threw it on a desk. He grabbed me by the shirt, asking me who I worked for.”
“I said I worked for The Pillar, and was an accredited member of the press,” Beltrán said. “He pushed me away from Peña Parra, who looked at the whole situation flabbergasted and with eyes wide open.”
“I started to respond and the man screamed ‘NO!’ at me. He said my question was ‘too delicate,’ and he tried to push me away.”
Beltrán stood up to the man and told him: “We’re in a free country. We’re not in Venezuela anymore.”
The aggressive person was then physically restrained and Beltrán continued with his interview of Peña Parra.
Beltrán gave his thoughts on how Venezuelan dissidents are being persecuted even outside of their home country: “All I thought about was that a few days ago, two Venezuelans were shot in Colombia, one a political analyst, the other a human rights activist. One of those men was my friend.”
“Colombian and free Venezuelan media have reported that the shootings were a hit job, ordered by people connected to the Venezuelan government,” he continued.
“Both men survived miraculously, and are recovering in the hospital. My friend Luis, a good Venezuelan, credits Blessed José Gregorio and Madre Carmen with his survival.”
“But if media reports are correct, it means that people connected to the Venezuelan government are ordering the killing of Venezuelans abroad, for their political positions,” he noted.
“What happened to me today is a minor thing in comparison,” the journalist continued. “But it made me painfully aware that Venezuelans aren’t safe once we leave our country, even when we’re asking questions about a soon-to-be saint.”
The attacker was later identified by eyewitnesses as Venezuelan businessman Ricardo Cisneros, who was part of the government’s entourage in Rome.
He is the brother the late Gutavo Cisneros, a famous Venezuelan business mogul. The Cisneros family was once ranked as the wealthiest family in South America by Forbes in 2006.
Ricardo Cisnero is closely aligned with the socialist dictatorial government of President Nicolás Maduro.
Maduro’s government is under heavy pressure due the economic collapse and humanitarian crisis, rising resistance from the population against the regime, as well diplomatic and financial isolation due to U.S. sanctions.
Since the canonization of Gregorio Hernández and María del Carmen Rendiles have filled the mostly Catholic population of Venezuela with excitement, the regime has begun sponsoring celebrations in honor of the two saints across the country.
However, critics argue that this is just another desperate attempt by the government to consolidate its power and quell protests from people who call for the release of political prisoners and free elections. The socialist regime has repeatedly cracked down on Catholics, including arbitrary arrests of clergy who criticized the government’s policies and human rights violations.
READ: Socialism never works. Venezuela is a perfect example
