As uncertainty prevails over results from last week’s presidential election, the Vice President of the Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Moronta, says people are waiting for “conscience, intelligence, and a sense of service to the people to prevail.”
By Johan Pacheco
Uncertainty surrounding the presidential elections in Venezuela remains, more than eight days after the electoral event. Amid peaceful protests and counterprotests, Bishops and religious demonstrations are making the Church’s voice heard.
Bishop Mario Moronta Rodríguez, Vice President of the Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference and bishop of San Cristóbal, spoke to Vatican News about the situation and expressed appreciation for Pope Francis’ appeal on Sunday for calm.
Q: What is the situation in the country, more than eight days after the elections? How does the Church interpret what is happening?
We have done various readings of the situation, because one of the most difficult aspects of this unprecedented situation is that it is constantly changing. We bishops are in close contact with each other, we have held various meetings, and precisely today, there is a meeting with the bishops to evaluate the situation in each of the regions.
We still see a lot of uncertainty. The national government only recognizes the result it presented, and there is a lot of restlessness and uncertainty among the people. There have been demonstrations, some of them violent, unfortunately, leaving a number of dead and wounded, both civilians and police, but the people are also protesting using peaceful means to express their disagreement and ask that the will of the people be heard. We are truly experiencing an unusual and unprecedented event, as some historians who study contemporary Venezuela say.
But I want to affirm that the Church, not only through the bishops but also through the priests, deacons and many people involved in lay pastoral ministry, has increased her presence and closeness to the people expressing not only that closeness but also that we are members of the People of God, that we also suffer with our people and hope with our people. We share in our people’s suffering.
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Q: In his words during the Angelus on Sunday, the Pope asked that politicians worry about the true good of the people and not about partisan interests. Do you believe the political actors involved will take on this task?
This is something everyone wants; we have also asked this of our bishops. And I want to point out that the Pope’s message, which is very simple but very direct, has been a comforting voice for all our people, our communities, the priests, of course the bishop.
The people received that message from the Angelus last Sunday not only with gratitude, but as a voice of comfort and hope. We hope political leaders will feel first of all that they are members of the people.
Second, that they not feel like they own democracy, and third, that they use constructive dialogue to strive for the good of democracy, the good of the people.
Q: What could happen in Venezuela if this situation regarding the electoral elections is not resolved? What is worst-case scenario?
Worst-case scenario – which we are working to avoid – would be one in which violence expands into a social explosion. We hope that does not happen. That’s why although it’s been more than a week since we received the unexpected results, we still have faith that with the help of experts, but above all with the goodwill of political leaders, the will of the people will be heard and put into practice.
We bishops do not only hope for this but are working together with priests, with our faithful, for peace in Venezuela. And we have seen how other non-Catholic religious institutions are working on this same task, so that those who believe in God seek peace, and we have asked not only that this be taken into account but that a solution be chosen to avoid any sort of scenario.
One of the worst scenarios, in my opinion, would be if the situation were not resolved and people became indifferent. There would perhaps be a new group of migrants leaving Venezuela in search of a new situation. That’s why I insist once again that we are waiting for conscience, intelligence and a sense of service to the people to prevail.
Q: But in addition to the appeals from many international institutions, in addition to the Pope’s appeal, we have also seen many Churches and Bishops’ Conferences in other countries praying for Venezuela.
Yes, this has been very encouraging. On Sunday (August 3), for example, we had the Church in Colombia praying for Venezuela and for Colombia, we also received messages from Chile, Mexico, Panama, the Dominican Republic and many ecclesial entities like CELAM.
There is a very beautiful dimension to that because it shows that even if the Church really becomes part of certain situations, it never loses its ‘catholic’ dimension. It’s what Saint Paul teaches us: when one member of the Church – of the body – suffers, the entire body feels it, when one member of the Church suffers, we have also experienced it and are experiencing it.
For example, we have very directly and publicly, as well as privately, expressed our solidarity with our brothers in Nicaragua who are suffering due to the situation of persecution, and now, they have let us know that they are praying for Venezuela, for the nation, for the people, for our Christian communities, and for civil society. It is a gesture that strengthens hope, which never disappoints.
Q: On the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, what is your message for the people and what will be your prayer intention to Santo Cristo de La Grita?
The petition is that we be heard, that God be heard in His people’s cry and that we learn from the living Gospel of that people which has Christ the Lord at the centre. We would also ask that those in authority, those responsible for the different civil, military, religious, etc. institutions, be able to be an example of consensus in the search for a solution which benefits the country, not one which benefits a small group or a political side, no.
We also ask Santo Cristo de La Grita on the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord that He help us to be a Church, to live the Church, to show a Church which always walks synodally with her people.
This year marks 60 years since the great Pope Paul VI published his first encyclical, and what a beautiful coincidence, because in that encyclical, besides inviting us to renewal, the Pope proposes dialogue as a path: dialogue with God, dialogue among ourselves and dialogue with the world.
I believe that will help us greatly to invite others to use dialogue to renew our country which sorely needs profound change because of the situation it is experiencing.
So that our prayer to Santo Cristo de La Grita is not confined only to that day, we have seen how our dioceses in Venezuela have intensified three important things: one is prayer, especially Eucharistic adoration, the call to pray and to take on the Word as inspiring our actions. Second, the closeness of the people to their pastors and of pastors to their people. Third, thanks to Caritas, thanks to social pastoral ministry, we are offering and reaffirming our service to those who most suffer in these circumstances – the poor, the marginalized, our concern for migrants.
If the situation is not resolved, there will be an immense flux of people who might leave the country. That is our petition and our wish on this beautiful day which is also very important to us here in Táchira. Táchira is the state which houses the Diocese of San Cristóbal, the country’s westernmost, on the border with Colombia.
We are very united with the Colombian episcopate, not only because of our proximity to the border, but because of our pastoral plans, but also as a gateway for many people heading to different parts of the world. We have been given a very difficult task, but one that brings great satisfaction, in favor of migrants, especially those who are most in need.
