VATICAN CITY -- Pope Leo XIV canonized Venezuela's beloved "doctor of the poor" Sunday before tens of thousands of people, offering the South American nation its first saint and a reason to celebrate amid a yearslong economic crisis and new tensions with the United States.

Trump has moved significant U.S. military assets, including eight warships, about 10,000 troops, a nuclear-power submarine and fighter jets, to the southern Caribbean, close to Venezuela. Earlier this week, the president confirmed he authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to carry out covert operations in Venezuela.

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV will finally canonize Venezuela's beloved “doctor of the poor” Sunday, offering the Caribbean nation its first saint and a reason to celebrate amid its years-long economic crisis and new tensions with the United States.

The U.S. Senate is poised to take up a bipartisan bill aimed at preventing the Trump administration from launching a full-on war with Venezuela over alleged ties to the international drug trade.

President Trump’s deployment around Venezuela includes training with an Army unit capable of inserting some of the military’s most elite and deadly special operations forces. The U.S.

The U.S. Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago is cautioning Americans to stay away from U.S. government facilities on the twin-island nation.

The United States has acknowledged carrying out at least five strikes on vessels near Venezuela that it says were transporting drugs, killing at least 27 people.

Pope Leo makes beloved ‘doctor of the poor’ Venezuela’s first saint - José Gregorio Hernández is revered by millions for his dedication to impoverished communities

US President Trump indicated Wednesday he had authorised covert CIA operations against Venezuela and was considering attacks on land against alleged drug-cartels in the country.