We live in times where lies are not only spoken but institutionalized. It is not merely an occasional deception but a well-designed propaganda system, where those who perpetuate falsehoods turn them into a reproducible structure. Their followers repeat the same narratives over and over until fiction solidifies into supposed reality. Thus, power is sustained not only through coercion but also using a captive, entertained, and, worse still, convinced audience.
But this is not the only face of oppression. The other, even more insidious strategy, is the systematic silencing of dissenting voices. When public debate is eliminated and freedom of expression is stifled, it is not only a restricted right but an attack on human dignity and justice. In this sense, the control of truth is the ultimate act of dominance: whoever defines what is said and what is silenced controls the fate of society.
In Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro's regime has taken this dynamic to its highest expression. It is not enough to censor independent press or persecute journalists; a web of misinformation and propaganda has been created, turning lies into state doctrine. While official media celebrate "economic recovery" and "participatory democracy," international reports document systematic human rights violations, arbitrary detentions, and an exodus of millions of Venezuelans fleeing the crisis. The recent elections, riddled with irregularities and fraud allegations, are the latest testimony of a system that has replaced the people's will with a machinery of manipulation and repression.
Most lamentably, the Church has been losing its prophetic role in this scenario. In times of crisis, when the voice crying out in the wilderness is most needed, many congregations have opted for ambiguity or silence. Is not Christianity a faith of denunciation and redemption? Christ himself declared that the truth would set us free (John 8:32), and history teaches us that when the Church cowers before injustice, its light fades and its salt loses its flavor (Matthew 5:13-16).
The history of faith is full of examples of those who refused to remain silent in the face of tyranny. The prophets denounced the corruption of kings (Amos 5:24, Isaiah 1:17), the martyrs chose death over complacency with evil, and in more recent times, figures like Dietrich Bonhoeffer understood that Christian ethics is not a theological abstraction but a historical responsibility. We cannot forget his warning: "Silence in the face of evil is itself evil."
Today, more than ever, the Church must remember its prophetic vocation. We were not called to comfort or neutrality. True faith is not an excuse for passivity but a commitment to truth, justice, and world transformation. Those who remain silent in the face of oppression become accomplices of the oppressor.
It is time to speak. It is time to act, time to pray.
Danilo Carrillo
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