"I'm going to repeat the words of Pope Francis: let no one rob you of hope. Be free to live in hope, free to love, free to make decisions in favor of Venezuela, and very free to believe," Patrón encouraged.
"You have also gone through not so easy other personal, familial and national experiences in the past, but Venezuela is great, very great," exclaimed Patrón, who explained that he was referring to Venezuela as great "because it has the seed of the Kingdom, because it has the presence of God, and you have the love of Our Lady of Coromoto."
Patrón also emphasized that "the Kingdom of God is growing" and added that during his time in Venezuela he met "young seminarians, priests of all ages and bishops who are very determined to be the presence of God in the current circumstances."
"Any young man, priest, even the bishops themselves had other possibilities, which perhaps were much more comfortable, humanly understandable and justifiable, but it's beautiful to realize that we have seminarians, priests and bishops that from within, from the heart, know that it's worth giving their lives and going through a series of sacrifices, a series of inconveniences, but they are joyful because they are giving their lives so that the Kingdom of God, the values of the Gospel, are lived in Venezuela today," Patrón said.
The prelate added that the clerics and seminarians "are very Venezuelan because from Venezuela, in Venezuela, from their vocation, they are the best citizens, the best Christians because they are giving their lives, their potentialities, their gifts, their lives, for the people of Venezuela."
"That's why, when you come to Venezuela you realize there's life, there's youth, there's priesthood, there's consecrated life, there are lay faithful who have freely decided to live, develop and give themselves totally to God, for the people of Venezuela and we can say there is a living present and it's going to see a better future," the archbishop said.