An update from the Bishop of the Methodist Christian Community in Venezuela

An update from the Bishop of the Methodist Christian Community in Venezuela

Dear brothers and sisters of the Methodist people,

As of 2:00pm on Saturday January 3, 2026, the situation in Venezuela remains very confusing and marked by a tense calm. Following the bombings in Caracas early in the morning, we have received no official statement from the Venezuelan government. We only have information from the United States government regarding the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, who appear to be in U.S. custody. Therefore, we wish to express the following:

1. We thank the brothers and sisters of the various Methodist churches and ecumenical organizations who have expressed their concern for our situation.
2. As we have already stated, all the churches of the CCMV, along with the people they serve, are safe. The bombings occurred in Caracas and surrounding areas—very specific locations far from our churches.
3. We ask for your prayers for the affected families who have lost loved ones, those injured or deceased, and those whose homes have been destroyed. May the Holy Spirit comfort their hearts and alleviate all their suffering.
4. We ask for your prayers for peace in Venezuela. May this transition occur peacefully and free from further deaths and loss of property for this long-suffering and impoverished Venezuelan people.

Rev. Francisco Mendoza

Bishop of the Methodist Christian Community in Venezuela

The Methodist Church in Britain joins in this call for prayers for peace and solidarity with the long-suffering people of Venezuela. We also stand with our partner in the region,  the Council of Latin American and Caribbean Evangelical Methodist Churches, in its condemnation of “all dictatorial positions, oppression and detriment to human dignity that in the same way promote the violence and the absence of peace experienced by our Venezuelan brothers and sisters. We affirm that violence will never lead us on the right path and much less will it be an effective way out of any situation we face.”

CIEMAL reaffirms its commitment to fostering spaces for open dialogue and mutual listening, paving the way toward peace and reconciliation:

“Today more than ever, we are called to create spaces for sincere dialogue and mutual 

listening that promote the encounter of a path of peace in order to achieve reconciliation. 

Today more than ever, we join in prayer for our brothers and sisters of the Venezuelan 

people. In the same way, we ask all our faith communities that make up CIEMAL to 

remain united by being Light in the midst of suffering, attentive to the needs caused by 

the uncertainty of this action for our Venezuelan brothers and sisters; and any other 

people that receive these onslaughts of violence. At the beginning of this new year as a 

Church, may we be willing to affirm the signs of justice, peace and hope as our faith in 

the Prince of Peace affirms to us”

Read the full statement here written by CIEMAL’s Council of Bishops: Pastoral letter in the face military action of the United States of America against Venezuela