New cardinals are Francis pastors, but Venezuela’s is political too

In different ways all of the 13 new cardinal-electors to be elevated Nov. 19 are Pope Francis-style pastors, but Archbishop Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo of Venezuela also comes with a bit of political subtext, since he's seen as a leading critic of Socialist President Nicolas Maduro. When 17 new cardinals were announced on Oct. 9, most were quickly defined as Pope Francis-style pastors. One choice, however, had an added bit of political subtext: Venezuela’s Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo, archbishop of Merida, and a strong voice in opposition to the Socialist government of Nicolas Maduro. More…