{{Infobox Christian leader | type = Cardinal | honorific_prefix = [[His Eminence]] | name = Antonio Ignacio Velasco García | title = [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|Cardinal]], [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Caracas|Archbishop of Caracas]] | church = [[Catholic Church]] | archdiocese = Caracas | appointed = 27 May 1995 | enthroned = 14 July 1995 | term_end = 6 July 2003 | predecessor = [[José Lebrún Moratinos|José Alí Lebrún Moratinos]] | successor = [[Jorge Liberato Urosa Savino]] | other_post = [[Santa Maria Domenica Mazzarello, Rome|Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria Domenica Mazzarello]] (2001–03) | ordination = 17 December 1955 | ordained_by = [[Antonio Samorè]] | consecration = 6 January 1990 | consecrated_by = [[Pope John Paul II|John Paul II]] | cardinal = 21 February 2001 | created_cardinal_by = John Paul II | rank = [[Cardinal-Priest]] | birth_name = Antonio Ignacio Velasco García | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1929|01|17}} | birth_place = [[Acarigua]], [[Venezuela]] | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2003|07|06|1929|01|17}} | death_place = [[Caracas]], Venezuela | previous_post = {{unbulleted list|[[Utimmira|Titular Bishop of Utimmira]] (1989–95)|[[Apostolic Vicar of Puerto Ayacucho]] (1989–95)|[[Roman Catholic Diocese of San Fernando de Apure|Apostolic Administrator of San Fernando de Apure]] (1992–94)}} | alma_mater = [[Pontifical Gregorian University]] | motto = ''Servus Christi pro fratribus'' }}
{{infobox cardinalstyles| cardinal name=Ignacio Antonio Velasco García| dipstyle=His Eminence| offstyle=Your Eminence| See=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Caracas|Caracas]]|}}
'''Antonio Ignacio Velasco García, S.D.B.''' (17 January 1929 – 6 July 2003) was a Venezuelan prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Caracas|Archbishop of Caracas]] from 27 May 1995 until his death.
== Biography == Velasco was born on 17 January 1929 in [[Acarigua]], [[Venezuela]]. He was ordained a priest on 17 December 1955.
On 23 October 1989, [[Pope John Paul II]] named him Apostolic Vicar of [[Puerto Ayacucho]] and titular bishop of [[Utimmira]]. He received his episcopal consecration on 27 January 1990. John Paul named him Archbishop of Caracas on 27 May 1994 and Velasco was installed there on 14 July.
He made Velasco a cardinal on 21 February 2001<ref>{{cite news | work=National Catholic Reporter | url = http://natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives2/2001a/020201/020201f.htm| accessdate = 16 March 2019 | title = 37 church leaders Pope John Paul II elevated to the College of Cardinals | date= 2 February 2001}}</ref> and assigned him as Cardinal-Priest to the titular church of Santa Maria Domenica Mazzarello.
Velasco was known for his criticisms of [[President of Venezuela|Venezuelan President]] [[Hugo Chávez]]. In 2001 he appealed to the government to take attacks on Catholic churches more seriously.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://zenit.org/articles/church-in-caracas-demands-government-action-after-attacks/| work = Zenit | accessdate = 16 March 2019 |date=3 August 2001| title =Church in Caracas Demands Government Action After Attacks}}</ref> After Chávez repeatedly attacked the Church, Velasco said: "Every day I turn another cheek. I have no cheeks left because every day there is a new insult."<ref name=telegraph>{{cite news | accessdate = 16 March 2019 |date=12 July 2003 | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1435872/Cardinal-Velasco.html | work = The Telegraph | title = Cardinal Velasco}}</ref>
During the [[2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt]], Velasco attended the swearing in of Chávez' replacement, signed the [[Carmona Decree]] that disestablished the Chávez regime, and visited Chávez in exile in Orchila. Velasco later disassociated himself from the coup and his role remains unclear, combining an attempt to get Chávez to resign, an effort to protect Chávez' life, and doubts about the leadership of the short-lived coup.<ref>{{cite book | pages= 245ff |title-link= The Silence and the Scorpion| title = The Silence and the Scorpion: The Coup Against Chavez and the Making of Modern Venezuela | date= 2008 | publisher = Public Affairs | first = Brian A. | last = Nelson | isbn= 9780786727445 }}</ref> His personal antagonistic relationship with Chávez divided the conservative Church hierarchy from clergy who supported the radical social programs of the Chávez government.<ref name=telegraph/>
Velasco died on 6 July 2003 after a long illness<ref>{{cite news | work = New York Times | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/08/world/cardinal-ignacio-velasco-of-venezuela-74.html | date= 8 July 2003 | accessdate = 16 March 2019 | title = Cardinal Ignacio Velasco of Venezuela, 74| agency = Reuters}}</ref> and treatment in Spain for cancer.<ref name=telegraph/>
After Velasco's death, Chávez drew fire for his controversial statement that the Cardinal was "burning in hell".
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{wikiquote|Antonio Ignacio Velasco García}}
*[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bvelgar.html Catholic Hierarchy]
{{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{succession box | title=[[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Caracas|Archbishop of Caracas]]| before=[[José Lebrún Moratinos]]| after=[[Jorge Liberato Urosa Savino|Jorge Urosa]]| years=27 May 1995 – 6 July 2003}} {{s-end}}
{{Cardinals created by John Paul II}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Velasco Garcia, Antonio Ignacio}} [[Category:Venezuelan cardinals]] [[Category:20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Venezuela]] [[Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Venezuela]] [[Category:People from Acarigua]] [[Category:1929 births]] [[Category:2003 deaths]] [[Category:Cardinals created by Pope John Paul II]] [[Category:Roman Catholic archbishops of Caracas]] [[Category:Salesian cardinals]] [[Category:Venezuelan Roman Catholic archbishops]] [[Category:Deaths from cancer in Venezuela]]