A group of hooded men and people who said to be followers of President Hugo Chávez's government Wednesday took over the Caracas Archbishop's Palace, downtown Caracas.

The group broke into the building where Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino has his office and expelled the office staff.

Some of the demonstrators were wearing red t-shirts, black berets and t-shirts bearing pictures of Che Guevara.

Spokespersons for the Venezuelan Bishops' Conference (CEV) claimed that the group broke into the palace "in a violent manner," local news television channel Globovisión reported.