Faith leaders who minister to Christians in Venezuela and the Venezuelan diaspora in the United States are urging prayers for peace as they attend to congregations roiled by uncertainty and high emotions following the U.S. capture of deposed leader Nicolás Maduro.
In Venezuela, initial statements from the Catholic bishops’ conference and the Evangelical Council of Venezuela called for calm and patience, while many pastors in the diaspora welcomed Maduro’s ouster. The Catholic archbishop of Miami, who serves the largest Venezuelan community in the U.S., commented on the anxiousness regarding the future, asserting that the church has a crucial role in helping the Catholic-majority country move forward.
Since 2014, around 8 million people have fled Venezuela, initially to neighboring countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, but many have increasingly aimed for the U.S. after the COVID-19 pandemic, either trekking through jungles or arriving on humanitarian parole.
The Venezuelan community in South Florida, which is the largest in the country, erupted in celebration after Maduro and his wife were captured during a U.S. military operation on Saturday.
However, Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski expressed mixed feelings, noting that the Trump administration's decisions have left many Venezuelans without temporary protective status, causing anxiety among those unable to return to Venezuela without significant political and social reforms.
Archbishop Emphasizes Church's Role
With interim President Delcy Rodríguez now in power, there is a potential shift in relations between the U.S. and Venezuela. Wenski is hopeful that conditions for the Catholic Church in Venezuela will improve, as it remains one of the few independent institutions able to speak out courageously.
In the Miami suburb of Doral, where many Venezuelans reside, community members prayed for their homeland during services following Maduro's capture. The Rev. Israel Mago of Our Lady of Guadalupe urged worshippers to pray for a peaceful transition in Venezuela.
Similarly, in Philadelphia, a gathering organized by community groups at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul brought together Venezuelans in prayer, emphasizing the emotional stakes of their shared plight.
Arianne Bracho, vice president of Casa de Venezuela Philadelphia, noted the emotional weight of the gathering, reflecting the hope and faith returning to their community amidst uncertainty.
