Venezuelan Christians left in limbo as Maduro's ouster sparks uncertainty and anxiety.
For thousands of Venezuelan Christians living in exile in the United States, the news of President Nicolás Maduro's capture has brought mixed emotions. While some celebrate the end of his regime, many are now grappling with uncertainty about their own futures under new leadership.
According to Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, who serves as a key figure to the large Venezuelan community in the US, people are "happy because Maduro is out, but there's still a lot of uncertainty." The Trump administration has ended two federal programs that together allowed over 700,000 Venezuelans to live and work legally in the U.S., leaving many with uncertain futures.
"I think that the church should continue to speak up for democracy," Archbishop Wenski said. "But at the same time be patient, to be calm." As tensions between the Maduro administration and the church have escalated over the years, including Cardinal Baltazar Porras being banned from traveling abroad, the church has played a crucial role in promoting reconciliation.
In Miami's predominantly Venezuelan suburb of Doral, where hundreds gathered for Sunday services to pray for peace and justice in Venezuela, Rev. Israel Mago urged his congregation to "pray for a fair and peaceful transition." Meanwhile, Rev. Frank López congratulated the Venezuelan people and thanked God for President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In Philadelphia, members of the Venezuelan community came together at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul for a special service. They carried flags, prayer beads, and jerseys with pride, while Arianne Bracho, vice president of Casa de Venezuela Philadelphia, described her mixed emotions: "I'm convulsed; I have mixed feelings."
Despite their doubts, most Venezuelans agree that the ousting of Maduro is necessary to bring an end to his regime's human rights abuses and drug crimes. As they continue to navigate this uncertain time, many are finding solace in prayer, faith, and community.
With the country's future still in flux, Venezuelan Christians living in exile remain hopeful for a better tomorrow.
For thousands of Venezuelan Christians living in exile in the United States, the news of President Nicolás Maduro's capture has brought mixed emotions. While some celebrate the end of his regime, many are now grappling with uncertainty about their own futures under new leadership.
According to Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, who serves as a key figure to the large Venezuelan community in the US, people are "happy because Maduro is out, but there's still a lot of uncertainty." The Trump administration has ended two federal programs that together allowed over 700,000 Venezuelans to live and work legally in the U.S., leaving many with uncertain futures.
"I think that the church should continue to speak up for democracy," Archbishop Wenski said. "But at the same time be patient, to be calm." As tensions between the Maduro administration and the church have escalated over the years, including Cardinal Baltazar Porras being banned from traveling abroad, the church has played a crucial role in promoting reconciliation.
In Miami's predominantly Venezuelan suburb of Doral, where hundreds gathered for Sunday services to pray for peace and justice in Venezuela, Rev. Israel Mago urged his congregation to "pray for a fair and peaceful transition." Meanwhile, Rev. Frank López congratulated the Venezuelan people and thanked God for President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In Philadelphia, members of the Venezuelan community came together at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul for a special service. They carried flags, prayer beads, and jerseys with pride, while Arianne Bracho, vice president of Casa de Venezuela Philadelphia, described her mixed emotions: "I'm convulsed; I have mixed feelings."
Despite their doubts, most Venezuelans agree that the ousting of Maduro is necessary to bring an end to his regime's human rights abuses and drug crimes. As they continue to navigate this uncertain time, many are finding solace in prayer, faith, and community.
With the country's future still in flux, Venezuelan Christians living in exile remain hopeful for a better tomorrow.
- I mean, have you seen the formatting on that news article? It's like they took a bunch of text blocks and slapped them together without any care for hierarchy or visual flow 
. And don't even get me started on the use of multiple heading levels in a row... it's just jarring! 
. And those Venezuelan community members gathering in Philly for prayer? So beautiful 
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. I think it's awesome that Maduro got taken down - he was basically a dictator, right? But now we're left wondering what's next and if these new folks are gonna be any better. And what about those 700k Venezuelans who lost their work visas? That's some harsh stuff. We should be more worried about how this is all gonna affect the people on the ground rather than just cheering for change.
I'm not surprised that Venezuelans in the US are feeling anxious about their futures now that Maduro is out. It's like, one minute you're worried about food and safety, the next you're worried about what's gonna happen to your visa status? 
Like, can't they just give us some stability for once?! 
I do think it's cool that the church is trying to bring people together and promote reconciliation, though. We need more of that positivity in our lives. 
Maybe this is an opportunity for Venezuela to start fresh and rebuild. Fingers crossed! 
they're all "what happens next" 
like Archbishop Wenski said the church should be all about democracy but also chill lol 
i feel bad 4 people who lost their jobs or whatever because of Maduro's policies 
& the US is like "oh no we dont know what to do w/ Venezuelans" 
. Ending programs that let them live & work in US is like taking away their safety net 
. It's all well & good to celebrate Maduro's ouster but what about the ppl who are stuck now? 
. Church leaders are right though, we gotta stay calm & patient, but also speak up when needed 
. It's gonna take time to figure this out & I'm rooting for the Venezuelan ppl to get their lives back on track 
. It's like, one day you're good to go, next day, BAM! You're stuck in limbo again. I'm all for patience and calm, but come on, can't they just figure out a way to make it easier for us to rebuild our lives? 
but at the same time i feel so bad for all those venezuelans who are literally left in limbo 
like what's gonna happen to them? they had legit lives built here and now it's all uncertain again 
like, i get that maduro was a horrible dude but come on! 
u guys think Maduro's ouster will b a game changer 4 venezuela or is it just another twist? 
How's everyone gonna make ends meet now? And what about all those ppl who were already living in the shadows with no status? 
I'm all for change but let's not forget about the humans behind the headlines 
And its also kinda rich that everyone's so quick to thank God for Trump and Rubio like they're saints or something 
my heart goes out to them still celebrating maduro's capture but also worried about their future 
! I mean, yes, Maduro's ouster is super welcome news, but it's also crazy to think about how this new uncertainty might affect all those Venezuelans living here in the US - like, what even happens next? 
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. We should be paying attention to how this whole situation plays out, especially for those who rely on those federal programs 