From Caracas To Puttaparthi: Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodriguez Is Sathya Sai Baba Follower

Last Updated:January 06, 2026, 16:59 IST

Captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro's links to Sathya Sai Baba have drawn international attention, but it was little known that Delcy Rodriguez is a follower of the guru

Venezuela's newly appointed acting president Delcy Rodriguez is a devoted follower of Indian spiritual guru, Sathya Sai Baba. (Image: SSSCT)

Like captured president Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s newly sworn-in acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, is also a follower of Indian spiritual guru Sathya Sai Baba.

Maduro’s links to Sathya Sai Baba have drawn international attention, but it was little known that Rodriguez is also a devoted follower of the guru.

Rodriguez, who assumed office on Monday as per the orders of Venezuela’s Supreme Court, has visited the Prasanthi Nilayam ashram in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, multiple times. Her connection is well-documented by the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, which has pictures of her visits to the ashram.

According to reports, her most recent visit to Puttaparthi was in October 2024 after she attended the BRICS summit in Russia’s Kazan. During this visit, she was accompanied by ambassador Capaya Rodríguez González and was received by Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust’s managing trustee RJ Rathnakar, who guided her through the sanctum sanctorum and Shanthi Bhavan.

Watch the video here:

Reports said the former executive vice-president of Venezuela has often spoken of the “calm and tranquillity" she experiences at the ashram. Her previous visits include one in August 2023, when she was part of the Venezuelan delegation for the G20 summit in New Delhi. She had also visited in October 2019 alongside other Venezuelan ministers.

WHAT IS NICOLAS MADURO’S CONNECTION TO SATHYA SAI BABA?

Maduro’s link to Sathya Sai Baba predates his presidency. In his private office at the Miraflores Palace, he reportedly installed a large framed portrait of the guru alongside national heroes such as Simón Bolívar and Hugo Chávez.

He even had a private audience with the guru in 2011 before his death, and pushed for a national mourning resolution in Venezuela’s national assembly. Consequently, Venezuela became the only Latin American nation to declare a day of national mourning for the spiritual leader.

Venezuela, however, has a strong connection to Sathya Sai Baba that dates back to 1972 due to the efforts of two of his followers, Arlette Meyer and Elizabeth Palmer. Meyer translated the book Man of Miracles into Spanish following which the first Sai centre was opened in Caracas in 1974.

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