From April 10 to 15, 2023, the Provincial Custody of Our Lady of Coromoto in Venezuela elected its Custos for the 2023-27 term using the process of election by letter.
For the friars residing in Venezuela, the election process took place in the context of friary House Chapters celebrated at three of the friaries of the Custody, namely, the San Francisco Javier Friary in Caracas, the San José de Cupertino friary in Guanare and the San Antonio de Padua friary in Mérida. The friars of the six friaries of the Jurisdiction took part in the election process guided by the members of the Electoral Commission: Friars Juan MARTÍNEZ CANELÓN, Ángel NIÑO PACHECO and Daniel BUSTAMANTE GUERRERO. Friar Daniel personally collected the letters with ballots, due to the deterioration of the postal system in Venezuela and to avoid the risk of losing the ballots. For the friars of Venezuela who live abroad (Italy, the United States and Cuba), the usual procedure by for election by letter was followed.
Friar Franklin Antonio DURÁN ZAMBRANO was re-elected by a qualified majority, and will begin his new term at the third session of the Sixth Ordinary Custodial Chapter, which will be celebrated July 10-18, 2023.
The election was confirmed by the Minister Provincial of the Mother Province of St. Nicholas and St. Angelo in Italy (Puglia), Friar Daniele MAIORANO.
The Electoral Commission is deeply grateful to all the friars for their hospitality, sense of fraternity and collaboration in this event of great importance for the Custody.
Friar Juan Gregorio MARTÍNEZ CANELÓN, Custodial Secretary
