CSW has today released a report on the situation of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in Venezuela which emphasises that despite the United States’ forcible removal from power of President Nicolás Maduro on 3 January 2026, leaders in the Socialist Union of Venezuela Party (PSUV) and allied parties remain entrenched in power and responsible for extensive violations of FoRB and other human rights.
The report, titled ‘Self-Censorship and Social Control: The Situation of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Venezuela’, details how the government of Venezuela has attempted to portray itself as upholding the right to FoRB by establishing a number of religious benefit programs and sponsoring religious ceremonies for groups aligned with the regime, whilst subjecting those that criticise the government, or have attempted to remain independent and refused these incentives, to discrimination and threats of violence, arbitrary detention, or the loss of specific rights.
All religious leaders, even those who benefit from government programs and other forms of preferential treatment, are under constant surveillance. Government informants in congregations are common, and religious leaders who are perceived to have said the ‘wrong’ thing are treated as traitors and in some cases attacked by illegal armed groups supported by the regime.
Many religious leaders practice a form of self-censorship in public activities such as prayers and sermons, but also in private or informal meetings, out of concern that a government informant might be listening.
The report presents several case studies, including that of Cardinal Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo, the former Archbishop of Caracas and one of the most prominent figures in the Venezuelan Catholic Church, who in October 2025 was physically prevented from travelling to preside over a mass in honour of the canonised Venezuelan physician José Gregorio Hernández.
The cardinal had previously been accused of conspiring against the government after he expressed concerns and fears held by members of the clergy following the country’s July elections. In December 2025 he was prevented by migration authorities from travelling to Spain, and his passport was seized and cancelled, allegedly for ‘noncompliance with regulations’.
The report also highlights how the intensified presence of Colombian illegal armed groups in Venezuela has further undermined FoRB and the rule of law, particularly in border states such as Amazonas, Apure, Táchira and Zulia, and areas with significant indigenous populations.
CSW’s Director of Advocacy and Americas Team Leader Anna Lee Stangl said: ‘With or without Maduro at the helm, the Socialist Union of Venezuela Party remains responsible for widespread human rights violations, including the persecution of religious leaders, the consistent repression of independent civil society, and even the massacre and forced displacement of indigenous groups. The international community must ensure that any discussions of Venezuela’s uncertain future set benchmarks for the measurable improvements in the protection of freedom of religion or belief, as well as for religious and humanitarian actors, and indigenous peoples and their spiritual rights.’
Notes to Editors: