Venezuelan leader: In death Chavez had hand in choosing pope

This April 14, 2002 file photo shows Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez holding a crucifix as he addresses the nation from the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas. / JUAN BARRETO/AFP/Getty Images

Venezuela's acting president suggested that Hugo Chavez's recent death influenced the decision to choose a pontiff from Latin America.

36 Photos

Hugo Chavez: 1954-2013

"The debate was between an African and a South American pope," Nicolas Maduro said, after taking part in a group prayer at a book fair in Caracas.

"I don't know, but we know that our commander ascended to those heights and he's face-to-face with Christ," said Maduro. "He had an influence for the choosing of a South American pope. Some new hand came in and Christ declared: 'Well, South America's time has come'."

Latin America is home to some 40 percent of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.

Maduro was sworn in as president last Friday, three days after Chavez passed away.

• Ahmadinejad under fire for hugging Chavez's mother
• Does the anti-Chavez crowd stand a chance in Venezuela?

While Venezuelan politicians spoke of divine intervention, some lawmakers in Argentina were not about to let the election of an Argentinean to head the Catholic Church -- the first South American pope in history -- to sway them from honoring Chavez.

As the Argentinean newspaper Clarin reports (in Spanish), a dispute broke out in the Chamber of Deputies over whether to end a ceremony for the deceased Venezuelan president in order to mark the ascension of Buenos Aires' Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio to the papacy.

The left-leaning Front for Victory party -- which leads the chamber -- opted to continue, while right-leaning opposition members pushed for a recess in order to hear Pope Francis' first remarks.

Chavez supporters won out, and continued their homage. As Clarin noted, by that time most of the opposition seats were empty.

• Argentina's president, a frequent foe, to attend papal inauguration
• Argentine joy at first Latin American pope
• Complete CBSNews.com coverage: Change at the Vatican

[unclec18017]

Maduro - certifiable nut case, just like his old boss.

[Louis_Chez]

GOP-Economic-Terror replies: Venezuela sells the USA 1.5 Million barrels of heavy crude a day, and uses the profits to subsidize .12 p/gal. gas for their citizens, and 100,000 barrels a day free to Cuba.
Global Vultures don't get a dime.
__________________________________

Read the rest of the comments moron.

You are alone. Apparently nobody agrees with you, including history.

[pitai]

The proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes: a crackpot has been replaced by another.No surprise there.
With its abundant oil production the country should be much better off but just the opposite is happening. It's always the Gringo's fault, isn't it!!!

[yankee_43]

CBS rides again

[stupa5]

Excuse me while go to the restroom & gag me with a cross..

[micmac666]

Someone is actually taking credit for this "story"?

[Montana5]

I don't know, when I spoke to God he told me he was hoping for Joe Pesci to be chosen.

[routan1]

Well, he was so spiritually inspiring in Goodfellas...

[SmBusMan]

Who's to judge, but we can deduce from his actions that he might not have been all that chummy with the Creator.

[Ulgnud]

Well he wasted no time getting name recognition. Makes one wonder just how "temporary" his time in office is going to be. He might turn out to be worse than Chavez.

[taxed01]

The more I read about Maduro, the more I think he may be a nut case. He should get along well with President Nutty in Iran.

[Beaner96]

Achmedumbijad!