(NewsNation) — Ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro was born into a working-class family in Caracas in 1962, according to El Mundo, a Venezuelan newspaper. His father was a trade union leader and activist, while his mother was born in Colombia. Maduro reportedly grew up with three sisters and was raised on the outskirts of Caracas.

Maduro: Jewish ancestry?

Maduro has stated that his paternal grandparents were of Sephardic Jewish descent and that they converted to Catholicism after settling in Venezuela. But his Jewish ancestry remains unverified.

From Catholic roots to Eastern spirituality

Maduro was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition. In 2012, The New York Times reported that he was a follower of the Indian spiritual guru Sathya Sai Baba and even visited him in 2005.

Maduro first took office in 2013 after dictator Hugo Chavez’s death. Throughout his political career, he has blended religious expression with political rhetoric, often speaking about Jesus Christ and attending religious services. However, his association with Sai Baba suggests a personal spirituality that extends beyond Christianity. 

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