Venezuelan Cardinal Reports Travel Obstruction Aheadโ of โSaint’s โฃFestivity
CARACAS, Venezuela – Cardinal Baltazar Porras reported Saturdayโ he was repeatedly prevented from traveling too Isnotรบ, Trujillo โขstate, to participate โin liturgical celebrations marking theโข canonization โof Venezuelan physician and humanitarian Josรฉ Gregorio Hernรกndez, โwhich occurred October 26th.The cardinal detailed a series of obstacles he encountered while attempting to reach the event, raising concerns about โคfreedom of movement within Venezuela.
According to a statement postedโ on his Instagram account, Cardinal Porras had been invited by the Bishop ofโ Trujillo to lead a massโค of thanksgiving in Isnotรบ, a locationโ importantโค to the life โคof โฃthe newly canonized saint. He explained that โsuch celebrationsโ are a Church tradition followingโข a canonization.
The cardinal stated he was initially informed on the night of October 24th by a vice minister of worship within the Episcopal Conference that his presenceโ in Isnotรบ was deemed “inconvenient” dueโ toโข concerns โขabout potential โขunrest. Subsequently, hisโข scheduled Conviasa flightโ on October 25th โwas reportedly suspended – though he noted he traveledโข to Valera withoutโค issue, indicating the flight cancellation โคmay have been misleading.
Undeterred,โ Cardinal โคPorras then charteredโ aโค private flight, only to be instructedโค mid-airโข to land in Barquisimeto due to alleged โstrong winds and โคa closure of the Valera airport. He later confirmed that the โคTrujilloโข state airportโฃ remained open. Upon landing in Barquisimeto, he observed a significant militaryโฃ presence.
Attempts to arrange โฃground transportation whereโ also blocked, with authorities preventing a rental company โfrom providing a vehicle. Cardinal Porras โand his delegationโข were ultimately forced to returnโฃ to Maiquetรญa airport.
“It isโค striking thatโ this type โฃof thing happens.That as a citizen one cannot โฃmove โfrom one place to another โฃand withโข a military deployment,” he โคstated. He emphasized that he did not experience any physical harm during the incidents.
The canonization of Josรฉโค Gregorio Hernรกndez, a beloved figure in Venezuela known for his charitable work, is a โขsignificantโค event for the country’s Catholic community. Cardinal Porras’s reported difficulties in traveling to celebrate โthe occasion have sparked questions about โคthe circumstances surrounding his attempted journey.