Cuba/Venezuela: Church leaders face harassment

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Cuba | 24 April 2018

According to a report by Aleteia on 14 March 2018, three Venezuelan priests were forced to flee their country due to constant harassment and death-threats coming from supporters of the Maduro regime. In Cuba, a report published by Noticia Cristiana on 19 March 2018 quotes a pastor who claims that the continued growth of Protestant churches in Cuba has caused the government irritation and led to an increase in the number of arrests of church leaders in recent months. Rossana Ramirez, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, explains: "Cuba and Venezuela are both governed by authoritarian regimes. Priests and pastors in both countries understand it to be part of their calling to denounce injustice and government actions that cause harm to the people. As a result, they become targets of the regime." Rossana Ramirez, continues: "Maduro accuses priests of politicizing their ministry and of becoming an opposition political party. Even abroad, sympathizers of the Maduro regime are known to harass and threaten them, including issuing death threats. The Cuban regime harasses, arrests and denounces Christian leaders using false criminal accusations. They are prevented from traveling abroad and at times pressure will be put on their families to stop them speaking out. In both communist/socialist regimes, those who do not toe the government line are monitored and their activities obstructed. This is especially the case for church leaders, since the government seeks to use religion as a tool for political control. Also, since church leaders give spiritual support to many citizens in both countries, their exile and harassment also has a negative effect on the congregations they serve."