New archbishop of Caracas, Venezuela, installed amid political crisis
On Aug. 24, the new metropolitan archbishop of Caracas, Venezuela, Raúl Biord Castillo, formally took possession of the archdiocese.
www.catholicnewsagency.comI don’t have access to live updates right now. Here’s what’s publicly notable about the Archdiocese of Caracas in recent years:
- In 2024, Raúl Biord Castillo was installed as the new metropolitan archbishop of Caracas, succeeding Cardinal Baltazar Porras, during a period of political and social upheaval in Venezuela. This marked a significant leadership change for the archdiocese amid the country’s crisis.[1]
- Reports from late 2024 and 2025 indicate continuing tensions between the Venezuelan church hierarchy and the regime, including public statements from the archdiocese and bishops calling for justice, peace, and the release of political prisoners.[5][6]
- There were later allegations in early 2026 about alleged close ties between church figures and the regime, which the archdiocese publicly denied, stating that no extortion or pressure had been exercised on relatives of detainees or others in its sphere.[3][5]
If you’d like, I can search for the very latest articles and provide concise summaries with sources. Would you prefer I pull fresh updates now?
Citations:
- Installation of new archbishop in Caracas.[1]
- Ongoing church-regime tensions and canonization context.[2]
- Denials of extortion allegations by the archdiocese in 2026.[3]
- Archdiocese coverage and historical context in CNA and Pillar Catholic summaries.[4][5]