Surprising Truth: Venezuela's Maduro a Devout Follower of India's Satya Sai Baba

• Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela's President, is a devout follower of India's Satya Sai Baba, a surprising fact revealed after his recent arrest.
• Maduro, then Foreign Minister, visited Sai Baba in Puttaparthi in 2005 with his wife Celia Flores, who introduced him to the guru.
• After coming to power, Maduro ensured Sai Baba's portrait was displayed in Miraflores Palace; his wife used Sai's teachings during crises.
• Venezuela's National Assembly, under Maduro's direction, declared a national day of mourning upon Sai Baba's death in 2011.
• Sai Baba's influence in Venezuela grew after a reported 1985 'miracle' saving a plane; Sai Centers operate freely there.

Why It Matters: Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro has a deep, long-standing spiritual devotion to India's Satya Sai Baba.