Venezuelan evangelical leaders are calling believers in the country to a week of fasting and prayer after President Trump's dramatic intervention in their nation's life.
In a statement issued by the Evangelical Council of Venezuela (known by its Spanish abbreviation, CEV), its directors state: "The Church is called to be a community and a space of hope, comfort, and spiritual strength. In the midst of uncertainty, gathering to pray, sing, affirm the faith, and proclaim the Word of God is an act of trust in God and a source of encouragement for many.
"We call on all affiliated and related organizations and churches to a special week of fasting and prayer for Venezuela. May each community, according to its possibilities, join in a cry for peace, justice, and the healing of our nation."
The statement adds: "In these complex days, we affirm more than ever that our hope is in the Lord. May our words and actions reflect the peace of Christ, and may our churches be light in the midst of the storm. With faith, unity, and hope, we remain steadfast in the mission the Lord has entrusted to us."
They conclude by quoting: “'May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us,' (Psalm 67:1)."
'Divine intervention'
Meanwhile, exiled Christian leader Aristóteles López (founder of March for Jesus in Venezuela) described the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his transfer to U.S. territory as "divine intervention and the fulfilment of justice for a nation that has suffered for so long," according to The Christian Post.
Estimates of the number of evangelicals in Venezuela vary considerably, as official figures have not been published for more than a decade.
However, in 2025, The Independent newspaper quoted sociologist Enrique Alí González suggesting, based on field work and data from demographic surveys, that religious affiliation is approximately 82%-84% Catholic, and 10%-12% evangelical, with other faiths accounting for the rest.
The relationship between some evangelicals and the regime of deposed leader Nicolás Maduro has been complex. In recent years, Maduro aimed to court evangelical leaders, even announcing in 2019 that he wished to create an "Evangelical Theological University of Venezuela". He also established a "National Day of the Evangelical Christian Pastor" to be held annually.
Maduro and evangelicals
Later, in 2023, his government launched a plan called "My Well-Equipped Church" aiming to provide infrastructure help to 2,500 churches. At the time, he stated: "I believe in Christ the Redeemer, the Christ of the people, in the Christ who confronted the Pharisees, in the anti-imperialist Christ, in the Christ of good.”
Maduro's son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, who held the post of Vice Presidency for Religious Affairs, reportedly said he wanted to “forge a Church-State... link, to bring light where there is darkness, because what brings light where there is darkness? The Holy Bible. And where the Bible enters, no evil enters,” according to the Caracas Chronicles.
The CEV, which is a member of the World Evangelical Alliance, responded sceptically to these moves as they unfolded, declaring: "We once again affirm our commitment to the principle of Church–State separation. In this regard, we believe that public funds should not be made available for the advancement of particular religious or ideological creeds. Venezuelans’ taxes should serve everyone in general, not specific sectors."
That same statement also affirmed: "Christians from different sides of the political spectrum have made the mistake of politicizing the faith… or have made themselves victims of populism by those who seek out the church during electoral seasons or attempt to buy its sympathy.
Foolish and disastrous
"Therefore, we must state that, regardless of the motive or the side from which it comes, a politicized faith is disloyal, foolish, and disastrous for the church; and first and foremost disastrous for Christian reasons, before constitutional ones. The politicization of faith will never be a symbol of strength but of weakness.
"The saying is wise: ‘The first thing we must say about politics is that politics is not the first thing.’ The evangelical soul is not for sale. It has already been bought at an infinite price.”
Leaders of the CEV will be meeting pastors and leaders of the Latin Evangelical Alliance (LEA) on Monday evening, 5th January, for shared reflection, prayer, intercession and fellowship.
Their latest message, issued on Sunday, came just hours after an earlier statement from the CEV on Saturday 4th, which declared: "We reaffirm our confidence in the sovereignty of God, who reigns over the nations and guides history according to his eternal purpose. Nothing is beyond His control, and in Him we find our peace.
"We are attentive to the unfolding of facts and pray for discernment to interpret the times wisely. We urge everyone not to be dominated by fear or anxiety. In times like these, it's vital to act with responsibility, and Christian solidarity as well as cultivate hope and stand firm in the faith.
Discernment
"We encourage everyone to limit their exposure to social media and constant streams of information. We suggest setting aside a moment of the day to inform ourselves critically, and devote the rest of the time to prayer, brotherly communion, service, and other activities that build the well-being of our families and advance the Kingdom of God.
"We pray for peace in the country and for a true and lasting transformation that honours justice, truth and dignity of every citizen.
"As a church, we remain committed to preaching the Gospel, building up God’s people and the pursuit of the common good. May the Lord grant us wisdom, temperance and courage to be light in the midst of darkness."
Evangelical Methodists
Meanwhile, members of the Council of Evangelical Methodist Churches of Latin America said they “were taken by surprise by acts of violence and aggression caused by the military action of the United States against Venezuela,” adding, “we condemn any military intervention that does not respect the sovereignty of peoples and that fosters ideologies of death,” according to website religionunplugged.com
The Alliance of Presbyterian Churches was also quoted, declaring, “we condemn all violent actions, all military and political interference against the sovereignty of Venezuela.”
