Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino Wednesday replied to claims that the Catholic Church and drug smuggler Hermágoras González have links by saying that such statements should be "demonstrated with proofs."

"In the meantime, they are nothing but rumors. If anyone in the Church is involved in that, that person should be punished."

Urosa, on the day of Jesus the Nazarene, urged Venezuelans to strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ, repudiate high crime rates in the country and seek national unity.

"We should look for the things that bring us together, and avoid the things that bring us apart. We should reject selfishness and indifference towards other people and try to build a society of brothers where there is room for everybody and we may live in peace."