(RNS) — As Venezuelans living in the United States kept watch on developments from home, religious leaders have been slow to respond to Saturday’s (Jan. 3) ouster of President Nicolás Maduro at the hands of the U.S. military.
Franklin Graham, the son of Billy Graham who heads the humanitarian aid organization Samaritan’s Purse, wrote on X on Saturday morning, “I’m sure the people of Venezuela are breathing a huge sigh of relief that this evil dictator, Nicolás Maduro, is gone. Incredible work by our brave military who executed this strategic mission last night.”
Graham praised President Donald Trump as a president who “doesn’t just talk, but takes action,” adding, “Pray for President Trump and his team to have wisdom from God as they assess what the next steps need to be.” The evangelical Christian leader ended his post with a hashtag “Peace Through Strength.”
But on a weekend when many leaders were recovering from the busy Christmas season, and the administration’s plans were hazy, few other pastors of note remarked on the nighttime raid that captured Maduro and sent the socialist strongman to New York to stand trial.
Pope Leo XIV had repeatedly called for restraint as pressure mounted on Maduro in recent weeks. But nearly 24 hours after the news broke that Maduro was in U.S. custody, the pontiff had yet to make a statement.
Pax Christi USA, a Catholic organization that advocates for peace, cited Leo’s earlier calls for peace in a statement critical of the Trump administration in the wake of the attack. The organization urged the U.S. bishops “to utilize their religious authority to denounce these acts against Venezuela and to engage in dialogue to rethink and reorder our national priorities,” citing Leo’s earlier calls for peace.
On Dec. 2, talking to reporters on the papal plane as he returned from his visit to Turkey and Lebanon, the pope raised the question of a U.S. invasion of Venezuela as U.S. Navy warships were gathered in the Caribbean.
“It is better to look for ways of dialogue — even pressure, economic pressure,” the pontiff said, “but seeking another way to bring about change, if that is what they decide to do in the United States.”
With some notable exceptions, the Catholic Church has had a difficult relationship with the Venezuelan government since Maduro, who was raised Catholic, became president in 2013. As the economy worsened as economic mismanagement and foreign sanctions took their toll, the Venezuelan bishops and local Catholic pastors have spoken out against the regime, demanding the release of political prisoners.
On December 10, Cardinal Baltazar Porras, the retired archbishop of Caracas was headed for Madrid when Venezuelan authorities prevented him from boarding his plane and confiscated his passport. In their Christmas message, issued Dec. 20, the Venezuelan bishops quoted Porras urging urged Venezuelans “not to surrender to despair” but to “have the courage to anchor ourselves in faith.”
In October of this year at a Mass celebrating the canonization of two Venezuelan saints, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’ secretary of state, who served as apostolic nuncio in Venezuela from 2009 to 2013, protested the oppression the Maduro regime.
Raised Catholic, Maduro has appealed in recent months to evangelical Christians in Venezuela after years of clamping down on religious life. In 2023, he created two programs that showered the country’s Protestant pastors with money and other support, from musical equipment to building materials. He beefed up the payouts as elections approached in summer of 2024. About a third of Venezuelans identify themselves as evangelicals.
In November, as Trump began his campaign to eject Maduro from power, the Venezuelan president organized a “prayer for peace” service, broadcasting it live from the Miraflores Presidential Palace. “Let the bells of peace ring, not the drums of war,” said Maduro.
Victor Maldonado, a Venezuelan political scientist, told the Spanish-language Catholic news agency ACI Prensa that Maduro’s attempt to warm relations with his country’s evangelicals, were not only aimed at gaining voters but at delegitimizing the Catholic faith.”
On Saturday, the executive directorate of the Venezuelan Evangelical Alliance issued a statement “(i)n light of recent events that have impacted our nation.” The leaders said, “We pray for peace in the country and for a true and lasting transformation that honors justice, truth, and the dignity of every citizen.”
The group urged its members “not to be overcome by fear or anxiety.” To that end, it encouraged them “to limit their exposure to social media and the constant flow of information. We suggest setting aside a moment each day to stay informed, and dedicating the rest of the time to prayer, fraternal communion, service, and other activities that build the well-being of our families and promote the Kingdom of God.”
Aleja Hertzler-McCain contributed to this report.