Bishop of Los Teques
Alberto Valentin Castillo Garcia is Bishop of Los Teques, Venezuela. He was born on 29 September 1969 in La Guaira. He completed philosophical and theological formation at the San Pedro Apostol Seminary in La Guaira and received priestly ordination on 15 August 1995. In his priestly ministry he held several pastoral and administrative offices. He began parish ministry as vicar of San Sebastian Parish in Maiquetia from 1995 to 1996. He then served as pastor of San Martin de Porres Parish in Montesano for seven years (1996-2003), returning to that community as parish administrator from 2012 to 2014. He also served the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Pariata in two periods, first from 2003 to 2004 and then from 2007 to 2014. From 2014 to the time of the source, he was pastor of San Francisco de Asis Parish in Naiguata. At the same time, from 2014 to 2016, he administered the communities of San Jose in La Sabana, Santa Rosa de Lima in Todasana, and Santo Domingo de Guzman in Tanaguarena. He also served as chaplain of the Municipal Police of Vargas from 1997 to 2025. In diocesan governance he served as diocesan administrator of La Guaira from August 2024 to March 2025 and then as vicar general of the diocese from March 2025 to the time of the source. Previously he had served as vicar general for pastoral ministry for twelve years (2012-2024) and as coordinator of diocesan pastoral ministry from 2010 to 2012. His service also included early administrative responsibilities as diocesan economo and administrator of the curia (1995-1997), and formation work as vice-rector of San Pedro Apostol Seminary (2004-2007). He directed family ministry for fifteen years (2001-2016) and directed the diocesan secretariat for social pastoral ministry and Caritas (2014-2016). He was also archpriest (2004-2007), episcopal vicar of the eastern pastoral zone (2014-2023), and, from 2020, coordinator of the diocesan commission for the prevention of abuse and the culture of good treatment.