The Global Justice Institute, for which Robert and I are both auxiliary bishops, released this statement on the night of January 3rd: The events of January 3, 2026, involving the extraction of Nicolás Maduro by foreign military forces, present a moral and theological crisis. While the suffering of the Venezuelan people under his leadership is well documented, a religious perspective rooted in peace and justice suggests that this “Operation Absolute Resolve” sets a dangerous precedent that undermines the sovereignty of nations. When a foreign power unilaterally removes a country’s leader, it violates the providential right of a community to determine its own path.
True justice is not “extracted” from without; it must be cultivated from within through national reconciliation and communal transformation. Scripture warns against the hubris of empires. Indeed, the “reign of God” is in opposition to imperial domination. The use of overwhelming military force to seize a head of state, regardless of his crimes, is not the way of God’s reign. As we have seen in historical precedents, such interventions often yield chaos, further destabilizing the lives of those who already suffer.
By prioritizing military “extraction” over diplomatic and spiritual persistence, we risk replacing one form of tyranny with another—the tyranny of domination by unilateral force. Justice for the oppressed is a divine mandate, but it cannot be achieved by disregarding the potential for domestic resolution. We, the bishops of the Global Justice Institute, add our voice of concern to the voices of other spiritual leaders…[and] We…ask you to join us in praying for the people of Venezuela. The Queer Squad has a few thoughts to add.
