Catholic bishops worry about Chavez's militarization

The Catholic Church is standing up to the militarization of Venezuelan society.

"Venezuela is seeing with astonishment and moral disapproval the promotion of a war-like environment and the militarization of society, including the creation of civilian militias," said Bishop Ovidio Perez, reading from a document listing the concerns of the Venezuelan bishops' conference.

Critics of the regime dismiss the dictator's constant denunciation of an impending American invasion as propaganda to "create the means to suppress internal dissent and defend Chavez's presidency at all costs," AP reports.

Chavez throws out Biblical quotes and claims he wants good ties to the church, but he has also called the Catholic bishops a "tumor."

The bishops also denounced the regime's political repression, or what they call "persecution and discrimination for reasons related to ideological discrepancies."