Pope Benedict receives President Chavez

(11 May 2006 RV) Pope Benedict received Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez today. Chavez, who is on a visit to Europe and North Africa, presented the Pope with a portrait of South American independence leader Simon Bolivar. A statement released by the Vatican press office director, Joaquin Navarro Valls, said the Pope expressed his concern about the Catholic Church's situation in the Latin American country. The Pope placed particular emphasis on an education reform proposal that would exclude religion from being taught in Venezuelan schools. He also asked that the country’s public health programs respect life as well as greater independence for local catholic media.