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| Even after his death, Venezuelans are still putting their faith in Hugo Chávez | Even after his death, Venezuelans are still putting their faith in Hugo Chávez |
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| The stalls along the Callejón de los Santeros are an emporium of religious knick-knacks, offering everything from votive candles and good-luck Buddhas to magic soaps that wash away curses. | The stalls along the Callejón de los Santeros are an emporium of religious knick-knacks, offering everything from votive candles and good-luck Buddhas to magic soaps that wash away curses. |
| But in recent weeks the most sought-after article in this bustling alleyway near the main Caracas market has been a small plaster figurine in a red paratrooper beret. | But in recent weeks the most sought-after article in this bustling alleyway near the main Caracas market has been a small plaster figurine in a red paratrooper beret. |
| Since the death of Hugo Chávez on 5 March, statuettes of the late president have been selling out as soon as they arrive, according to one stallholder, Benito. "People are praying to him at their altars," he explains. | Since the death of Hugo Chávez on 5 March, statuettes of the late president have been selling out as soon as they arrive, according to one stallholder, Benito. "People are praying to him at their altars," he explains. |
| Though predominantly a Catholic country, Venezuela is also home to the "María Lionza" cult, a syncretic faith whose devotees believe that spirits of the dead can communicate through mediums. The spirits are grouped in pantheons – cortes – according to what they did in life: a medical court for doctors, a patriotic court for national heroes, and even a thug court for "reformed" criminals. All these saints can give advice or grant favours in return for prayers and offerings. | Though predominantly a Catholic country, Venezuela is also home to the "María Lionza" cult, a syncretic faith whose devotees believe that spirits of the dead can communicate through mediums. The spirits are grouped in pantheons – cortes – according to what they did in life: a medical court for doctors, a patriotic court for national heroes, and even a thug court for "reformed" criminals. All these saints can give advice or grant favours in return for prayers and offerings. |
| And many Venezuelans still grieving the loss of their comandante believe that Chávez has already taken his place among the venerated. "He gave himself to his people, body and soul. He would hug the ill, the elderly. He would help everyone and anyone. For him nothing was impossible, and that's what makes him a saint," says Mercedes Aquino, a nurse and maría lioncera. | And many Venezuelans still grieving the loss of their comandante believe that Chávez has already taken his place among the venerated. "He gave himself to his people, body and soul. He would hug the ill, the elderly. He would help everyone and anyone. For him nothing was impossible, and that's what makes him a saint," says Mercedes Aquino, a nurse and maría lioncera. |
| In the 14 years of his rule Chávez made the wishes of countless Venezuelans come true, granting them houses, pensions and even restoring sight to the blind with a series of government-run social programmes, known as misiones. | In the 14 years of his rule Chávez made the wishes of countless Venezuelans come true, granting them houses, pensions and even restoring sight to the blind with a series of government-run social programmes, known as misiones. |
| Opposition activists criticised such schemes as unsustainable handouts or crude exercises in vote-buying. But to the destitute the misiones were nothing short of a miracle. Small wonder, then, that many should expect the miracles to continue after Chávez's death. | Opposition activists criticised such schemes as unsustainable handouts or crude exercises in vote-buying. But to the destitute the misiones were nothing short of a miracle. Small wonder, then, that many should expect the miracles to continue after Chávez's death. |
| In 23 de Enero neighbourhood, a tiny chapel emblazoned with the words "Sánto Hugo Chávez" was recently built to honour the late president. | In 23 de Enero neighbourhood, a tiny chapel emblazoned with the words "Sánto Hugo Chávez" was recently built to honour the late president. |
| The wood and tin structure is fast becoming a site of pilgrimage for supporters still trying to come to grips with the loss of their leader. "Everything he did was good. We will always honour his teachings and his decision to name Maduro," says Elizabeth Torres, 48, the chapel's custodian. | The wood and tin structure is fast becoming a site of pilgrimage for supporters still trying to come to grips with the loss of their leader. "Everything he did was good. We will always honour his teachings and his decision to name Maduro," says Elizabeth Torres, 48, the chapel's custodian. |
| Chávez's political heirs have helped spread the pseudo-religious aura around the president: on the first official day of campaigning for this month's election the interim president, Nicolás Maduro, said on Tuesday that Chávez had appeared to him in the form of a bird, and blessed his campaign. Previously, Maduro said Chávez may have posthumously influenced the election of the first Latin American pope, while Venezuela's ambassador to Italy told reporters he had held a "mental communication" with the late leader. Chávez has been dubbed "the Jesus of the poor" and the "second Bolívar" after the 19th-century independence hero Simón Bolívar, whose ideals are said to have inspired his political programme. Chávez supporters are campaigning to have him buried alongside Bolívar in the National Pantheon. | Chávez's political heirs have helped spread the pseudo-religious aura around the president: on the first official day of campaigning for this month's election the interim president, Nicolás Maduro, said on Tuesday that Chávez had appeared to him in the form of a bird, and blessed his campaign. Previously, Maduro said Chávez may have posthumously influenced the election of the first Latin American pope, while Venezuela's ambassador to Italy told reporters he had held a "mental communication" with the late leader. Chávez has been dubbed "the Jesus of the poor" and the "second Bolívar" after the 19th-century independence hero Simón Bolívar, whose ideals are said to have inspired his political programme. Chávez supporters are campaigning to have him buried alongside Bolívar in the National Pantheon. |
| The Venezuelan constitution says 25 years must pass before someone can be put in the pantheon, but Luisa Morales, the president of the supreme court, recently hinted Chávez could be fast-tracked. For that to happen the constitution would have to be amended. However, celestial laws are not as malleable: according to the María Lionza cosmogony, it takes at least 15 years for a spirit to fully transcend the material world. | The Venezuelan constitution says 25 years must pass before someone can be put in the pantheon, but Luisa Morales, the president of the supreme court, recently hinted Chávez could be fast-tracked. For that to happen the constitution would have to be amended. However, celestial laws are not as malleable: according to the María Lionza cosmogony, it takes at least 15 years for a spirit to fully transcend the material world. |
| "Chávez is all the rage now," says Santiago Rondón, a medium who claims to hold frequent and lengthy chats with Bolívar, "but he still needs to pay his dues. You can't expect to enter that world ahead of time. That might be true here [on earth] where they can change the constitution, but not in heaven." | "Chávez is all the rage now," says Santiago Rondón, a medium who claims to hold frequent and lengthy chats with Bolívar, "but he still needs to pay his dues. You can't expect to enter that world ahead of time. That might be true here [on earth] where they can change the constitution, but not in heaven." |
| The strength of Chávez's personality – and the devotion of his supporters – may be enough to secure the late president a place in one of the spirit courts, says Rondon. Most probably Chávez – an ex-paratrooper – would join Bolívar in the patriotic court, whose members include prominent generals and heroes of the fight against Spain, he believes. But his presence may cause friction, Rondon warns. In 2010 Chávez ordered the exhumation of Bolívar's bones in the hope of confirming his theory that "the Liberator" was poisoned by Colombian oligarchs. DNA tests proved inconclusive, and most historians believe Bolívar died of tuberculosis. | The strength of Chávez's personality – and the devotion of his supporters – may be enough to secure the late president a place in one of the spirit courts, says Rondon. Most probably Chávez – an ex-paratrooper – would join Bolívar in the patriotic court, whose members include prominent generals and heroes of the fight against Spain, he believes. But his presence may cause friction, Rondon warns. In 2010 Chávez ordered the exhumation of Bolívar's bones in the hope of confirming his theory that "the Liberator" was poisoned by Colombian oligarchs. DNA tests proved inconclusive, and most historians believe Bolívar died of tuberculosis. |
| The spirit of Bolívar has not forgiven the intrusion, Rondon said. "I had a woman here who was possessed by a male spirit," he says. "It was Bolívar and he told me he wasn't happy with what Chávez had done to the country. 'This is not what I wanted for my people. He abused my name and he touched my bones' – and Bolívar said this, not I." | The spirit of Bolívar has not forgiven the intrusion, Rondon said. "I had a woman here who was possessed by a male spirit," he says. "It was Bolívar and he told me he wasn't happy with what Chávez had done to the country. 'This is not what I wanted for my people. He abused my name and he touched my bones' – and Bolívar said this, not I." |
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