PHOTO GALLERY: Highlights of some of the most compelling images made or published by AP photographers in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Followers of Maria Lionza's cult practice a ritual at Sorte Mountain in Venezuela's Yaracuy state, early Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, one year after the annual pilgrimage was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Along with Santeria, Venezuela is home to other folk religions, such as the sect surrounding the Indian goddess Maria Lionza, an indigenous woman who according to tradition was born on Sorte Mountain and whose cult has spread to Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Central America. This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by Associated Press photographers in Latin America and the Caribbean.