An interesting new cult is gaining ground in Venezuela. It is called the Corte Malandra or Gangsters’ Pantheon. The cult centers around a legendary thief named Ismael who died sometime in the 1960’s or 70’s. No one is sure. But poor people pray at his and other gangster grave sites for protection from the rampant crime in their country.

Followers of the Gangster’s Pantheon believe that the ghosts of these gangsters remain on earth to make amends for their lives of crime. Other members of the Pantheon are named The Rat, Isabelita, Luis, Little Miguel, Antonio. The symbol of their cult is a hawk on a motorcycle, which was one of Ismael’s tattoos. Believers are said to ask for favors at these graves with “offering of candles, a cigar, a glass of strong local anis liquor and a hot salsa song.” You can also buy figurines of these gangsters to use for home ceremonies. I found one site with some of them online.

Unfortunately, information on the Pantheon is very scant online. Most everything is in Spanish. One of the other things this article says is that the Corte Malandra is part of a larger cult, of Maria Lionza. This cult focuses on a Trinity of figures which represent the three main cultures of Venezuela coming together, the Spanish virginal figure Maria Lionza, the Indian chief Guaicaipuro and the black slave rebel Negro Felipe (also sometimes referred to as Pedro Camejo). The Maria Lionza cult has also started spreading to other regions, including Cuba and Spain. Here is some more detailed information about Maria Lionza.

1. For more in this vein of evolving cults, also check out La Santisima Muerte (Saint Death), Yevgeny Rodionov, and Mussolini’s bid for deification.