Venezuela’s ousted president Nicolás Maduro shares an unlikely spiritual link with India–one rooted not in diplomacy or trade, but faith.
Long before his presidency became defined by sanctions, crackdowns and confrontation with the United States, Maduro was introduced to Indian spirituality through his wife, Cilia Flores, who was captured alongside him and flown out of Venezuela following months of escalating US pressure.
A Devotee Of Sathya Sai Baba
Though raised a Catholic, Maduro became a devotee of Sathya Sai Baba after being introduced to the Indian spiritual leader by Flores before their marriage. In 2005, the couple travelled to India and visited the Prasanthi Nilayam ashram in Andhra Pradesh’s Puttaparthi, where they met the godman during a private interaction. Photographs from the visit show a young Maduro and Flores seated on the floor beside Sai Baba.
Reports later claimed that as Maduro rose through Venezuela’s political ranks, a portrait of Sai Baba featured prominently in his private office at Miraflores Palace — alongside icons of Venezuelan nationalism such as Simón Bolívar and Hugo Chávez.
After Sai Baba’s death in 2011, Maduro, then serving as Venezuela’s foreign minister, pushed for an official condolence resolution. Under his guidance, the National Assembly passed a motion honouring the guru’s “spiritual contribution to humanity” and declared a day of national mourning.
Sathya Sai Organisation In Venezuela
The Sathya Sai organisation continued to function in Venezuela even as several foreign institutions were expelled under Maduro’s rule. The country today hosts one of the largest Sai Baba devotee communities in Latin America, with roots tracing back to 1974. In 2024, the Venezuelan government even issued invitations for its National Day celebrations featuring the symbol “Om”.
Just months before his capture in November 2025, Maduro set aside political rhetoric to mark Sai Baba’s centenary. In an official message, he described the guru as a “being of light”.
“I always remember him when we met,” Maduro said. “May the wisdom of this great teacher continue to enlighten us.”
From Bus Driver To President
Born on November 23, 1962, into a working-class family, Maduro was the son of a trade union leader and worked as a bus driver during the period when Chávez led a failed coup attempt in 1992. Maduro campaigned for Chávez’s release from prison and emerged as a loyal supporter of his leftist vision at a time when socialism was waning globally.
After Chávez’s election victory in 1998, Maduro entered the legislature and became one of his mentor’s most visible champions against US influence in Latin America. Critics mocked his humble origins and dismissed him as lacking independent charisma, but his political ascent continued unabated. He went on to serve as president of the National Assembly and later as foreign minister, travelling widely to build alliances through oil-backed aid programmes.
Maduro narrowly won the presidency in 2013 after Chávez’s death, but his tenure soon ran into crisis. Economic mismanagement, shortages and soaring inflation eroded public support, even as he resisted dismantling unsustainable subsidy systems inherited from the Chávez era.
In 2018, Maduro survived an alleged assassination attempt involving explosive-laden drones at a public rally, after which he sharply curtailed unscripted appearances. Throughout his political career, Flores remained a constant presence– holding senior roles including attorney general and parliamentary chief — and was often seen as a powerful figure in her own right.
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that both Maduro and Flores were captured and flown out of Venezuela, marking a dramatic turn in the country’s prolonged political crisis.
