President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States carried out a decisive military operation in Venezuela overnight, resulting in the detention of socialist leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, as evangelical leaders inside and outside the country reacted with a mix of caution, shock and calls for prayer.
According to Trump and U.S. administration sources, the operation followed months of strategic pressure and involved controlled explosions and the deployment of aircraft over Caracas. Trump, speaking from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, described the maneuver as a “brilliant operation” and said further details would be released in the coming hours.
In a message posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump said: “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country.”
The response from Caracas was swift. Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez confirmed that a foreign incursion had taken place and condemned what she described as an act of aggression by the United States. In a televised address reflecting the heightened tension in the South American nation, Rodríguez said authorities did not know the whereabouts of Maduro or Flores following the attack.
The developments mark a dramatic turning point for Venezuela and the wider region, coming after a prolonged increase in U.S. naval activity off the country’s coast. As the international community and Venezuelans await further clarification, questions remain about the immediate political, humanitarian and security implications of the abrupt shift in power.
Evangelical leaders in Venezuela and abroad responded cautiously, urging prayer and restraint amid uncertainty.
Pastor Carlos Vielma, speaking from Caracas, described the shock of the early morning hours. “We were surprised in the middle of our sleep early this morning by loud explosions that abruptly woke us up,” he said. “We have no electricity and no WiFi. At that hour of the night, that puts you in shock.”
Other evangelical leaders, particularly those in exile, interpreted the events through a more explicitly spiritual lens. From Florida, Aristóteles López, founder of Marcha para Jesús (March for Jesus) in Venezuela, described the capture and reported transfer of Maduro to U.S. territory as a divine intervention and an act of justice for a nation he said has suffered for years.
Despite what he described as months of emotional exhaustion and uncertainty, López said the events showed that God “never forgot Venezuela.” He added that the outcome fulfilled commitments made by the Trump administration and could send a geopolitical shockwave to other governments in the region, including Cuba and Nicaragua, signaling what he called the end of an era of impunity.
At the same time, López cautioned that the struggle was not over. He urged what he described as the “remnant people” to remain in sustained prayer to consolidate the moment. He also criticized religious leaders who, in his view, aligned themselves with the Maduro government for personal gain, accusing them of compromising their integrity and calling on them to step aside to allow the church to participate in Venezuela’s spiritual rebuilding.
Also speaking from exile in the United States, José Rivero, leader of the H2D Foundation, said the situation remains highly complex. “The current scenarios are even more complex. We need wisdom from heaven to navigate them,” he said, adding that believers should remain “trusting in Him.” Rivero called for continued prayer for Venezuela as events continue to unfold.
Evangelical reaction from across the border
From neighboring Colombia, the Evangelical Confederation of Colombia (CEDECOL) issued a statement following the developments in Venezuela. “From CEDECOL, we call on all churches and believers to unite in prayer, asking God to take control of the nation and bring freedom, peace, justice and restoration to its people. We believe in a sovereign God who rules over the nations and hears the cry of those who pray in faith,” the statement said.
The statement added: “We invite people to pray specifically that God would govern Venezuela with His wisdom and truth, guiding every decision made during this crucial time; that paths of freedom, restoration and hope would open for the entire nation; and that Venezuelan families would be protected, comforted and strengthened.”
“May the Church in Venezuela be protected and continue to be a prophetic voice, a spiritual refuge and a light amid uncertainty,” CEDECOL said.
Originally published by Diario Cristiano, Christian Daily International's Spanish edition.
