Card. Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo

Baltazar Cardozo cardinal is the Archbishop of the Venezuelan Mérida, and the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Caracas. He was a member of the opposition forces during the rule of the former Venezuelan President, Hugo Chávez. The South American country, where even in peace time war-like conditions prevail, is plagued by severe economic problems, the welfare system of the country is essentially in ruins. The crisis in Venezuela has been going on for years, and by now the situation has become so unbearable that those who can leave the country behind. Amidst this hopelessness, the Church is trying to put its arms around the people of the country who by now have been broken both physically and mentally and have nothing to maintain their livelihoods with under a regime that is starving them. Even in the midst of crisis, Cardazo never fails to raise his voice for the people living in destitution.