VOA常速英语2018--委内瑞拉主教遭政府迫害

As economic and political conditions continue to deteriorate 1 in Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro has turned his sights on another target: national Catholic leaders who have raised their voices against the misery 2 the corrupt 3 Maduro government has visited on the Venezuelan people.

由于委内瑞拉的经济情况和政治情况每况愈下，总统尼古拉斯 马杜罗(Nicolas Maduro)将注意力转向了另一个目标：反对马杜罗政府给委内瑞拉人民带来痛苦的国家天主教领袖。

Maduro has called for an investigation 4 into clergymen who have been critical of the government, claiming they may be guilty of a crime under a law passed in November by the illegitimate National Constituent 5 Assembly, made up almost exclusively of supporters of President Maduro.

马杜罗下令调查批判政府的牧师，称根据非法国民制宪议会11月通过的一项法律，这些牧师犯有一项罪名，但该法律却将几乎所有支持马德罗总统的人排除在外。

Among other measures, the so-called Constitutional Law against hatred 6, for peaceful coexistence and tolerance 7, punishes purveyors of messages of purported 8 “hate” in broadcast and social media with penalties of up to 20 years in prison; and members of political organizations who spread supposed “hate” must be expelled.

其中一项规定是，这项所谓的宪法反对仇恨，支持和平共存与宽容，所以会惩罚那些在广播和社交媒体上传播所谓“仇恨”信息的人，刑期高达20年；并规定传播“仇恨”信息的政治组织成员必须受到驱逐。

Human Rights Watch described the law as a clear threat to freedom of expression. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights said it could generate a strong intimidation 9 effect incompatible 10 with a democratic society.

人权观察组织认为，该法律明显是对自由言论的威胁。美洲国家间人权委员会表示，该法律可能会产生强烈的恐吓作用，而这与民主社会是不兼容的。

Using this law as a weapon against Venezuela's religious leaders is Maduro's latest attempt to silence any opposition 11 to his regime.

以这项法律为武器来对抗委内瑞拉的宗教领袖马杜罗湮没反对派声音的最后一招。

In 2017, Venezuelan bishops 12 criticized the dismantling 13 of constitutional order in the country, and they recently condemned 14 the hastily announced elections Maduro insists must take place in April.

2017年，委内瑞拉几名主教对委内瑞拉宪法秩序的支离破碎进行了批判；最近，他们又谴责马杜罗坚持仓促宣布大选必须在四月进行的做法。

U.S. Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley denounced Maduro's call for a criminal investigation of the two Catholic bishops who spoke 15 out against hunger and corruption 16 under the so-called anti-hate law.

美国驻联合国大使妮基 海利(Nikki Haley)谴责马杜罗对两名天主教的主教进行刑事侦查的呼吁，这两名主教只是对现行的所谓“反仇恨法”所造成的饥饿与腐败表示反对。

In a statement, she noted 17 that Maduro's reign 18 of violence, repression 19, corruption and bankruptcy 20 continues to punish the Venezuelan people. By targeting religious leaders – who promote peace and provide hope for believers – the regime continues to show that it cares only for preserving its own power and cares nothing about the basic human rights and welfare of its citizens. We continue, Ambassador Haley said, to stand strongly with the Venezuelan people in their battle to restore their democracy in the face of a brutal 21 dictator.

在一份声明中，她表示，马杜罗通过暴力、压制、腐败和破产对委内瑞拉人民进行惩罚。通过以宗教领袖为目标——宗教领袖为教徒促进和平、带来希望——马杜罗政权依然表明其在意的只是保住自己的政权，丝毫不关心人民的基本人权和福祉。大使海利表示，我们依然强烈支持委内瑞拉人通过抗争来恢复民主，直面他们残暴的独裁者。