Venezuela (MNN) — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is facing narco-terrorism and other drug-related charges in the United States after a targeted US military strike led to his capture on January 3.
Internationally, many Venezuelans are celebrating the removal of Maduro, who maintained his authoritarian grip on power despite widespread accusations of corruption and contested elections.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro (Photo by Khamenei.ir, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=120463671)
Under Maduro’s regime, Venezuela suffered from extreme economic instability and social collapse. Restrictive socialist policies contributed to hyperinflation, severe food and medicine shortages, drug trafficking, civilian disarmament, gang control and violence.
Greg Yoder with Keys for Kids Ministries shares reports from a Christian contact in Venezuela: “He says no Venezuelan wants chaos or bombs, but what they do celebrate is a ray of hope after decades of darkness.”
Meanwhile, Maduro ally Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in Monday as interim president with the backing of Venezuela’s military. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado says “nobody trusts” the interim president.
Those still living in Venezuela are watching with caution. Yoder says, “There are literally gangs that are going along the street trying to find people that had anything to do with the ouster of Maduro. So it’s quite a challenging situation right now.”
Instability worsened by food insecurity
Another risk is civilians’ heavy dependence on the government for basic provisions.
Yoder explains, “He says the deepest suffering now is physical hyperinflation. It’s crushed salaries to about 130 bolivars, which is about 40 cents — the same for pensioners. Food prices rise daily. Families often eat only once a day in tiny, poor-quality portions.
“The government distributes food boxes of rice, pasta, and oil. They’re often expired, always irregular. According to my friend, WhatsApp groups repeat the propaganda message: If this government falls, this box will never return and you’ll lose your subsidy.
“It’s not that they believe in the government. It’s the only thing that separates them from starvation. They’re so dependent on this food and these rations that they get. So he rejects the claim that Venezuelans have never fought. He says that they protested… [and many] were killed in those demonstrations.”
How to pray
We may not know what 2026 holds for the future of Venezuela. Yet, we pray to the Lord who is shaping Venezuela’s future.
Caracas, Venezuela (Stock photo courtesy of Bona Lee via Unsplash)
“Even though it has been a dark chapter in Venezuela’s history because many people are suffering, there is a huge spiritual hunger,” says Yoder. “People are seeking peace. They want Jesus. Churches are growing. Churches are helping the poor as they’re able to. Churches are growing as Venezuelans look to the only unshakable refuge they have, and that’s God Himself.”
Yoder asks believers to focus prayer on two critical needs: protection and provision.
“Pray for the lives of people there, because this could go south very quickly. There’s so much corruption in Venezuela that even though one man who headed the nation is gone, there are so many more that are underneath him, and so it’s going to be a question of who wins control.
“The second prayer would be praying for resources to get into the hands of some of these pastors and Christians within Venezuela who want to make a difference, who just want to provide hope for their nation.”
Header photo: Venezuela flag (Image courtesy of Jean Manzano/Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/photos/flag-venezuela-pole-1275937/)
