Joint Statement on the Venezuelan Takeover by the United States
As leaders of the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and as Co-Executives of Global Ministries, we write with deep concern and moral urgency in response to recent actions taken by the United States government against sovereign nations. In a world already marked by conflict, displacement, and profound human suffering, these actions endanger lives, undermine international law, and weaken the global commitment to peace.
The following statement reflects our conviction that true security cannot be achieved through military might or occupation, but through respect for sovereignty, adherence to international law, and sustained, nonviolent engagement. As church leaders, we offer these words as a call to conscience, prayer, and action—trusting that God continues to summon the church to be a faithful presence and a courageous voice in the pursuit of peace.
The full letter is below:
Statement on Partner Perspectives from Global Ministries
The following statements are shared from Global Ministries partners and reflect their own perspectives and contexts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Global Ministries, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), or the United Church of Christ. We offer these statements as part of our commitment to transparency, respectful engagement, and a decolonizing approach to partnership—recognizing that our global relationships sometimes bring forward theological and political perspectives that differ from those held within the Disciples and UCC. We invite readers to engage these reflections thoughtfully and with care.
Country Context Timeline of Allegations of the Deterioration of the Rule of Law in Venezuela
- In April 2013, Vice President Maduro assumed the presidency of Venezuela following the death of former President Hugo Chavez claiming %50.6 of the vote. (National Electoral Council, 2013)
- In 2014, opposition leader, Leopoldo López was arrested and charged with arson and conspiracy for playing a key role in organizing grassroot protests – the move was widely condemned, including by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. López was sentenced to over 13 years of imprisonment. (OHCHR, 2014)
- Nation-wide protests in 2014 resulted in nearly 4,000 arrests and 43 deaths. (Reuters, 2014)
- In 2015, the opposition achieved a majority in the National Assembly during parliamentary elections. Soon after gaining control of the Assembly, the Supreme Court of justice voided the Assembly’s legitimacy. (Human Rights Watch, 2015)
- In 2017 the Supreme Court of Justice placed all legislative powers onto itself and created the Constituent Assembly to promote further constitutional reforms. (International Court of Jurists, 2017)
- These actions unleashed further protests, resulting in the deaths of 124 protestors within a four-month period in 2017. (Human Rights Watch, 2017)
- In 2018, the Constituent Assembly called for early presidential elections – resulting in Maduro claiming %67.85 of the votes, while only receiving a participation rate of %46.07 of the voting population. These elections were not recognized by a large share of the international community, with even the company supplying the necessary voting technologies stating that the elections were fraudulent. (Electoral Integrity Project, 2018)
- The U.S., along with most of the EU member states, and Latin American nations went on to recognized Juan Guaidó as the legitimate President of Venezuela.
- In 2020, Venezuelan security forces precented an attempt to overthrow Maduro by armed dissidents organized by Silvercorp USA, an American private security company. (AP NEWS, 2020)
- In 2023 the Venezuelan government barred leading presidential candidate María Corina Machado from participating in the 2024 elections. The move was condemned as a violation of political human rights. (Axios, 2023)
- In 2024, Maduro won a third consecutive presidential election despite exit polls showing strong evidence showing that Independent Edmundo González won a landslide of the votes. (The Dialogue, 2024)
- Following widespread protests, the Maduro Administration initiated Operation Tun Tun, a crackdown on dissidents. (United Nations, 2025)
- On September 2, 2024, an arrest warrant was issued for González for the alleged crimes of usurpation of functions, falsification of public documents, instigation to disobey the law, etc. González flew to Spain where he received his right of asylum. (NPR, 2024)
Additional Information on the democratic backsliding and human rights violations can be found on Venezuela’s profile on Freedom House and the UN Human Rights Council
Download “Country Context” pdf here.
Statements from our partners: