The Venezuelan government has prevented the former Archbishop of Caracas, Cardinal Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo, from leaving the country and has had his passport cancelled.
The cardinal was set to fly to Bogotá, Colombia, on 10 December and then onto Toledo, Spain via Madrid. He was due to attend a ceremony in which he would be appointed the role of Spiritual Protector in the Order of Saint Lazarus in Venezuela.
Travelling with Cardinal Porras Cardozo were José Antonio Rodríguez, Grand Prior of the Order of Saint Lazarus, and the Grand Prior’s wife. While the Grand Prior and his wife were permitted to embark on their journey, Venezuelan officials told Cardinal Porras Cardozo he would be arrested if he insisted on travelling.
According to the Order, the cardinal’s belongings were searched, and he was subjected to “humiliating” treatment. No official explanation has been given for Cardinal Porras Cardozo’s treatment, although it is almost certainly the result of his criticism of the Venezuelan government.
In October Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused the cardinal of being part of a conspiracy following his denunciation of human rights violations and the increasing militarisation of Venezuela.
The government subsequently warned the Catholic Church in Venezuela against allowing the cardinal to attend Mass in the town of Isnotú and even deployed military forces to prevent him reaching the town.
Anna Lee Stangl, Director of Advocacy and Americas Team Leader at Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), said, “CSW is highly alarmed at the Venezuelan authorities’ increasing efforts to restrict the freedom of movement of Cardinal Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo, who has clearly been targeted because of his criticism of the government’s violations of human rights.
"We echo the call of the Order of Saint Lazarus for the authorities to return and reinstate Cardinal Porras Cardozo’s passport, and to permit him to travel freely to Bogotá.”
CSW also condemned a separate incident in which unknown people vandalised the Cuasia Church in San Juan de los Morros in October.
The vandals left graffiti threatening the life of the church’s priest, Fr Juan Manuel León, who has also spoken out against human rights abuses in the country.
