Religious leaders react to Maduro’s capture with conflicting views

The capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro has been a hit among President Donald Trump’s Christian nationalist allies while the reaction from moderate and progressive Christian leaders has varied from concerned to condemning.

“We have a president who acts decisively to defend America and in bringing justice to the evil actors around the world. This is peace through strength,” said Trump supporter Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, a Southern Baptist megachurch in Plano, Texas, that held a Trump-praising worship service in July.

“We have a large number of Venezuelans in (Prestonwood En Espanol) who are celebrating the end of the cruel dictatorship and opening the door to freedom for their friends and families,” he said.

The U.S. raid that nabbed Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas Jan. 3 will help protect America from drugs and violence and make the world a safer place, said evangelist and Trump promoter Franklin Graham. “Thank you, President Donald J. Trump, for what you’ve done for the people of Venezuela. The president is strategically working to protect our nation and better the lives of people around the world.”

As proof, Graham cited Trump’s unproved claim that the U.S. has “knocked out 97% of the drugs coming by sea,” and that most of those came from Venezuela. “He said that our country was previously losing 300,000 lives a year to illicit drugs. President Trump is trying to fix this tragedy and keep America from becoming like these countries that have been ruined by socialism, communism, corruption, crime and drugs.”

A newly unsealed federal indictment against Maduro, his wife and other Venezuelan officials includes charges of corruption, drug trafficking and involvement with terrorist organizations. The document described Maduro as the head of an “illegitimate government” that leveraged government power to promote a range of criminal activities.

“This cycle of narcotics-based corruption lines the pockets of Venezuelan officials and their families while also benefiting violent narco-terrorists who operate with impunity on Venezuelan soil and who help produce, protect and transport tons of cocaine to the United States,” the 25-page indictment says. The U.S. also has accused Maduro of being the leader of Cartel de los Soles, a drug cartel the U.S. State Department declared a terrorist organization in November.

The couple pleaded not guilty to the charges during a court appearance in New York City in which Maduro stated, “I am still president of my country.”

But numerous Christian leaders and groups condemned the U.S. raid and Trump’s vow to “run” Venezuela for the foreseeable future, as events likely lead to escalated violence in the region.

“We do not overlook the serious political and human rights challenges facing Venezuela, nor do we endorse the current government,” said Jihyun Oh, stated clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). “Yet history teaches that violence and external military intervention, especially when undertaken without clear restraint and accountability, deepen suffering rather than bring justice or peace.”

The Iraq war is a prime example of conflicts launched with “contested claims” escalating in unforeseen ways resulting in human suffering, she said.

“Shaped by that reflection, we approach any justification for military escalation with humility and caution. We are wary of fear-driven narratives and preemptive logic that rush toward violence and bypass international law. Remembering the lives lost and communities shattered, we call instead for careful verification, diplomacy and a renewed commitment to peace and the protection of civilian life.”

Oh also said the attack violates Christian principles of peace, justice and respect for God’s creation. “The violent military actions of the U.S. against Venezuela run counter to these affirmations based on our religious convictions. Additionally, these actions violate international law and the rights of the Venezuelan people.”

Leaders of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ described the attack as the continuation of a disturbing pattern of unlawful military actions by the Trump administration, including the use of troops against American protesters.

“We condemn all forms of government aggression —whether directed at one’s own people or imposed upon another country. When fundamental rights are threatened, nonviolent, lawful and consensus-based solutions must take precedence,” Disciples of Christ General Minister Teresa Hord Owens and UCC General Minister Karen Georgia A. Thompson said in a joint statement.

“The additional decisions by the U.S. government to ‘run Venezuela’ supports a colonial narrative and U.S. occupation. We affirm the right of countries and communities to shape their own futures without coercion or military intervention.”

The Episcopal Church said it generally condemns the use of first-strike actions in situations where there is no clear military threat.

“We urge Congress to call for an investigation and accountability for this most recent unauthorized operation, as well as the related military actions carried out in recent months. We urge all regional parties to support a peaceful transition that respects the rule of law and the will of the Venezuelan people.”

The World Council of Churches condemned the Venezuela raid and the capture and detention of Maduro as “stunningly flagrant” transgressions of international law that will encourage further violence in the pursuit of political objectives.

“The additional decisions by the U.S. government to ‘run Venezuela’ supports a colonial narrative and U.S. occupation. We affirm the right of countries and communities to shape their own futures without coercion or military intervention,” SCC General Secretary Jerry Pillay said.

At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV expressed concern for Venezuelans in the aftermath of the raid and urged the U.S. to consider that country’s needs.

“This must lead to the overcoming of violence and to the pursuit of paths of justice and peace, guaranteeing the sovereignty of the country, ensuring the rule of law enshrined in its constitution, respecting the human and civil rights of each and every person, and working together to build a peaceful future of cooperation, stability and harmony, with special attention to the poorest who are suffering because of the difficult economic situation,” he said.

The National Baptist Convention of Venezuela called on Baptists and all Christians “to remain in prayer before the throne of grace, asking our God for a climate of peace and peace that allows the Venezuelan society to overcome the current national situation.”

The Evangelical Council of Venezuela called for calm in the aftermath of the U.S. military action, according to Diaro Cristiano International.

“We extend our prayer and solidarity to all brothers and fellow citizens who are going through moments of uncertainty or fear. We reaffirm our confidence in the sovereignty of God, who reigns over the nations and guides history according to his eternal purpose.”

Antonio Gallardo, bishop-elect of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, posted a lengthy message on Facebook Jan. 3 about the events happening in his home country.

“As a Venezuelan American, my heart is experiencing mixed emotions after the U.S. military operations that resulted in the extraction of Nicolas Maduro, and I give thanks to God for giving me a heart capable of holding multiple, and at times conflicting, feelings,” he wrote.

On one hand, he wants to celebrate with “the Venezuelan people who are overjoyed with the departure of Maduro, especially those who are still living there, my mother, my siblings, my relatives, my lifelong friends and my fellow Venezuelans. This people have suffered for more than 27 years the decisions of a government that, in supposedly pursuing freedom from the chains of capitalism, and with promises to end corruption and implementing social programs to benefit all, destroyed the country’s freedoms, the democracy, the physical infrastructure and the once first-class education and health systems, among other long-term damages.”

On the other hand, “My heart is also afraid of what may come to them,” he said of his countrymen. “The image that comes to mind given the U.S. military operations is the image of a powerful bully who at the school cafeteria decides to grab the food of the kid whom they know can’t defend themselves.  The bully attacks the vulnerable to show off their power in front of others, and they grab their food (or oil in this case) just because they can.  It is all about power and greed, not about freeing the Venezuelan people as some may think.”

The Episcopal leader said he fears “the Venezuelan people may have shifted from one form of oppression to another. I don’t think this military operation was about the people in Venezuela, when here in the U.S. we treat Venezuelans, and other immigrants of color, with cruelty.”

 

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