The bishops of Venezuela said they seek to convey "a message of hope" to their fellow citizens amid "the anxieties and fears" the situation in the country is generating, especially after the U.S. military operation that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on Jan. 3.
Through a new apostolic exhortation, titled "Your Light Will Break Forth Like the Dawn" (Is 58:8), the bishops summarized the reflections of their 125th ordinary plenary assembly, held Feb. 4–9 in Caracas.
In the document, the bishops quoted Pope Leo XIV from his Jan. 4 Angelus prayer in which he affirmed that "the good of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail above any other consideration and lead to overcoming violence and embarking on paths of justice and peace."
Solidarity with political prisoners and their families
The Venezuelan bishops emphasized that the country in recent years has experienced a profound economic, social, and political crisis, within which "violations of human and civil rights, including freedom of expression and the right to due process and defense," have become particularly prominent.
In this regard, they reaffirmed "their closeness and solidarity" with the more than 600 political prisoners currently being held in Venezuela and with their families. The bishops described the hundreds of releases that have occurred since Jan. 3 as "a positive sign" and called for the full release of those still detained or those released from prison with restrictions.
"We are following with interest the proposal and the process for approving a general amnesty law, which must necessarily be broad and inclusive, the result of extensive consultation with all sectors of civil society. It would be an important step toward embarking on the long and difficult road to national reconciliation and the restoration of social and democratic coexistence," the bishops stated.
Furthermore, they joined the demands of various sectors of Venezuelan society for the repeal of laws "that restrict fundamental rights enshrined in the national constitution and international conventions," especially those related to freedom of expression.
Guaranteeing national sovereignty
Once again, the bishops reiterated that popular sovereignty, as expressed in the results of the July 28, 2024, presidential elections, was disregarded by the socialist regime.
Following the election, the campaign organization for Edmundo González, who ran against Maduro for president, said that they had over 70% of the voting tallies from the polling stations that proved González won by a wide margin. However, the National Electoral Council controlled by the entrenched socialist government of Maduro declared Maduro the winner with 51% of the vote.
The consequences of this culminated in the capture of Maduro by U.S. forces on drug trafficking charges, which, although some have interpreted it as a violation of international law, others believe opens "paths to achieving the democratization of the country," the prelates stated.
"For several years, Venezuela has suffered undue interference from external factors that have seriously affected its sovereignty," they said, calling on state actors to take the necessary actions to "guarantee sovereignty and self-determination over our destiny."
Building the future with special attention to the poorest
To build a future of justice and peace, the bishops said it is necessary to achieve a national reconciliation in which citizens can identify themselves "as one people, making it once again a place of opportunities for progress and happiness, especially for the poorest."
"We must strengthen the family as the primary place for the integral development of individuals and society, and overcome the barriers that prevent us from building the reality of "we" as a nation with the participation and inclusion of all sectors of the country," they affirmed.
"It is necessary to promote spaces for dialogue that lead to a broad national agreement on the future we want to build," they noted.
A fundamental aspect for achieving this task, the prelates said, is overcoming the "impoverishment that currently afflicts a majority of the population" and which has been one of the main causes of the exodus of millions of Venezuelans.
To help achieve this goal, they recalled the commitment of the Catholic Church, in its various forms, to be an entity that fosters "encounter, listening, and accompaniment" and that produces "clear and credible signs of fraternity and reconciliation."
"We invite everyone to find in daily prayer light and strength to face with determination the situation we are experiencing today," they stated, asking Venezuelans to intensify their acts of piety during Lent.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
