Petrodollar, Bolivarianism, and the Re- Yorubanization of Santería in Chávez’s Socialist Venezuela FÉLIX AYOH’OMIDIRE Este es un país petrolero, nunca debemos olvidar eso, un país donde hay mucho dinero circulante en la calle, un país donde la población maneja mucho efectivo, y un país de posibilidades. Por eso es que vemos personas que, aunque tienen una casa que vale 40.000 Bolívares, se hacen un santo que vale lo mismo que vale esa casa, porque tienen la necesidad de ser como el padrino […]. Enver “Olayemi” Arbelaez (The Oluwo of Egbé Oturupon-Isokun, Venezuela) 1 1 “This is a petrol-rich country, we must never forget that. It is a country where there is a lot of money circulating on the streets, a country in which the popula- tion handles a lot of cash, a country of possibilities. This explains why there are people here who, even though they live in a house that is worth 40.000 Bolí- vares, don’t mind paying the same amount for an (Ifá/Orisa) initiation ceremo- ny, because they want to be like their oluwo (spiritual guide) at all cost [...].” (free translation by the author). Interview with Enver Olayemi Arbelaez and Ri- cardo Acevedo, in Caracas, Venezuela on April 19, 2012.