Every week we put our faith into action. The focus of our action this week is Venezuela. There has been no evidence presented of a threat against the United States that justifies the first use of armed force against Venezuela without Congressional authorization. We urge Congress to protect its role as the sole branch authorized to declare war by investigating and holding accountable the Administration for military actions taken against Venezuela. We urge elections to return democracy to Venezuela as quickly as possible. We urge no concessions regarding Venezuelan natural resources without the approval of a legitimately elected government.

Episcopal Church Statement on U.S. Intervention in Venezuela

The people of The Episcopal Church offer prayers for our beloved siblings in Christ in the Episcopal Diocese of Venezuela, and for people across the region following this morning’s U.S. military operation that removed President Nicolás Maduro.

Episcopalians in Venezuela carry out vital ministries in increasingly challenging conditions, and we fear for their well-being and their church community if these military interventions, and any form of U.S. occupation, lead to more instability and violence. Episcopal Church Center staff have spoken with and offered support to the Rt. Rev. Cristobal León Lozano, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Ecuador Litoral and bishop provisional of Venezuela; the Rt. Rev. Lloyd Allen, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Honduras and president of Province IX; and to standing committee leadership.

The Episcopal Church’s General Convention has long-standing policy that “condemn[s] in any nation the first use of armed force in the form of a preventive or pre-emptive strike that is aimed at disrupting a non-imminent, uncertain military threat.” Even as we recognize that intervention in sovereign states can sometimes be necessary to prevent atrocities, we discourage “the abuse of this norm to rationalize military actions in sovereign states for political ends.”

We urge Congress to call for an investigation and accountability for this most recent unauthorized operation, as well as the related military actions carried out in recent months. We urge all regional parties to support a peaceful transition that respects the rule of law and the will of the Venezuelan people. Join us in praying for our siblings in the Diocese of Venezuela and the Venezuelan people.

MoveOn: NO U.S. Occupation In Venezuela

On Saturday, January 3, the United States conducted a military strike against Venezuela and captured its president, President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.

President Trump said in a press conference that the U.S. will “run” Venezuela on a temporary basis during the transition, and “get the oil flowing.” Trump wants to “run” Venezuela when our own citizens cannot even afford groceries, rent, and healthcare?

Americans have seen this before in Iraq and Afghanistan and we have paid the price – getting sucked into expensive forever wars that cost the lives of our brave soldiers and countless civilians. These actions put American security, safety, and taxpayer dollars at risk and are unacceptable. Congress must take action to prioritize the most pre-eminent crises in America.

Trump keeps telling us that he’s going to stop endless wars and lower costs. Now, he’s spending taxpayer dollars to invade Venezuela, capture its President, Nicolás Maduro, and declare that the US will now run Venezuela. We remember the consequences of the Iraq War. We saw through George Bush’s lies and knew that war would only make everyone less safe. We were right.

This moment is a test. Trump and his advisors will be looking to see Americans’ reactions to this horror. Any silence will be seen as acceptance. If we don’t loudly push back against more endless war, then the administration will escalate this violence, not just in Venezuela, but across the globe.

Maduro is a dictator who oppressed his own people. Yet this operation has nothing to do with the Venezuelan people or Venezuelan freedom. Instead, as Trump himself said, they are an attempt to build power and profit for the Trump administration and oil industry that wants Venezuela’s oil reserves.

Trump needs to focus on the problems we have here at home, like making sure people can afford groceries or keep their healthcare, instead he’s spending millions, and potentially billions pursuing violence overseas. It must end. Together we say: NO U.S. OCCUPATION IN VENEZUELA.

Amnesty International Human Rights Concerns in Venezuela

…Military action by the US Trump Administration in Venezuela, which resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores, raises grave concerns for the human rights of the Venezuelan population. It most likely constitutes a violation of international law, including the UN Charter, as does the stated US intention to run Venezuela and control its oil resources.

Amnesty International is particularly concerned about the risks of further escalation of human rights violations in the country, stemming either from additional US operations or from the Venezuelan government’s responses to the US attacks.

The organization urges the US government to abide by international humanitarian and human rights law, prioritize the protection of civilians, and uphold the human rights of all persons deprived of liberty, including due process and humane treatment.

It also calls on the Venezuelan authorities to refrain from further repression, reminding them they are bound by international law to respect and protect the human rights of all Venezuelans.

Those most immediately at risk include human rights defenders and political activists who have courageously opposed (the) Maduro government’s human rights violations and crimes under international law for years. Amnesty International stands in solidarity with the Venezuelan people: the thousands of victims and survivors, and the millions who have fled after years of enduring grave violations and crimes against humanity.

Amnesty International reiterates its long-standing call for Maduro’s government to be investigated and, where evidence permits, individuals to be prosecuted before an independent and impartial court to ensure justice, reparation, and guarantees of non-repetition for the survivors and victims of violations in Venezuela.

Amnesty International is alarmed that the attack against Venezuela and capture of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores by one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council further deepens the breakdown of international law and the rules-based order. These actions signal an international system run by military force, threats, and intimidation, and they increase the risks of copycat actions by others.

Options to Take Action:

1. Sign the action letters at the Action Table on Sunday.
2. Download an action letter that you can sign and mail.     Letter for Within CA        Letter for Outside CA
3. Use these links to take action on line: Episcopal Public Policy Network, MoveOn, Amnesty International.

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For personal actions or information, here are some helpful resources:

Contact the White House at https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ or leave a phone comment at 1-202-456-1111.

If you ever need to look up your member of the U.S. House of Representatives or your U.S. Senators check here: www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.

To find contact information for your California State Senator or California State Assemblymember check here: www.senate.ca.gov and www.assembly.ca.gov.