Vatican No. 2 skips trip to Venezuela, cites pandemic

<p>ROME &mdash; The Vatican No. 2 is skipping a planned trip to Venezuela this week because of the coronavirus pandemic.</p>
<p>Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s former ambassador to Caracas, had planned to celebrate the April 30 beatification of Jose Gregorio Hernandez, dubbed the “doctor of the poor.” </p>
<p>The Vatican said Wednesday that because of issues linked to the pandemic, Parolin wouldn’t make the trip.</p>
<p>His visit coincided with revived efforts by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government to court <a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-news-health-business-venezuela-coronavirus-4478a89a00e869dcc7aa1932dcbd4689"> the Biden administration</a> in hopes it will ease sanctions meant to isolate the socialist leader.</p>