Maduro claims church figure conspired against Venezuela’s first male saint, canonized Oct. 19.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused Cardinal Baltazar Porras of conspiring against the canonization of José Gregorio Hernández, Venezuela’s first male saint, during a televised address on October 20. The canonization, held on October 19 by Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, honored Hernández and five others, including nun Carmen Rendiles. Maduro claimed Porras, who has criticized the government and called for the release of political prisoners, opposed the sainthood, but asserted divine and popular support prevailed. Porras did not respond. The event followed tensions between Maduro’s government and the Catholic Church, including an assault on journalist Edgar Beltrán during a Rome event. The U.S. continues to accuse Maduro of leading a criminal organization, offering a $50 million reward for his arrest. Meanwhile, opposition leader María Corina Machado won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.