(Aica)”We trust in God and in our people,” stated the bishop of Valencia and president of the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference (CEV), Monsignor **Jesús González de Zárate**, when consulted about the aerial attack by U.S. forces on the military headquarters of Caracas, which resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President **Nicolás Maduro**.
In statements to the Italian agency SIR, Monsignor González de Zárate assured that they have been awake since 2 a.m. “to follow the development of events” and warned that “the facts are still unfolding to be able to evaluate them.”
After weeks of tension, with US forces off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump decided to attack Venezuela last night, launching an airstrike on the capital, Caracas. This culminated in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro: he and his wife Cilia Flores “were taken out of the country,” Trump wrote on the social network Truth.
González de Zárate, in the center
The president of the CEV insisted on his “trust in God and the values of our people” and assured the prayer of the bishops for his country.
In December, in their Christmas message and on the eve of beginning 2026, the episcopacy did not hesitate to assure that the “joyful experience” of the birth of Jesus is “overshadowed” by the turbulent national reality. Thus, the daily life of the Venezuelan was immersed in a bombardment of news, rumors, and difficulties.
English version translated with AI