The upcoming Venezuelan presidential election on Sunday, July 28, 2024, has brought renewed attention to the complex interplay between religion and politics in the South American nation. While official data on religious demographics is scarce, with the government not releasing figures in over a decade, researchers and academics have pieced together estimates through projections and fieldwork to paint a picture of Venezuela's spiritual landscape.
According to sociologist Enrique Alí González, who compared data from a 2016 study by Andrés Bello Catholic University with his own field research, the religious affiliation in Venezuela is estimated to be approximately 82-84% Catholic, 10-12% Evangelical, 1.5-2% Santeria believers, and 1% atheist. The remaining percentage comprises smaller religious groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslims, and Bahá'í. These figures, while not official, provide insight into the religious makeup of the Venezuelan electorate.
The economic and political crisis that has gripped Venezuela in recent years has had a notable impact on the country's religious landscape. Some reports suggest that spiritualism has gained strength due to the crisis, though sociologist Hugo Pérez Hernaíz cautions that there is no concrete data to support this claim. However, researchers have observed an increase in the number of evangelicals, although the exact extent of this growth remains unclear without official records.
Religion has historically played a significant role in Venezuelan politics. From 19th-century attempts to replace Catholicism with Freemasonry and Protestantism to more recent efforts by former President Hugo Chávez to promote a divinization of himself, political leaders have often sought to leverage religious sentiment for their own ends. The current president, Nicolás Maduro, has continued this tradition, alternating between criticizing Catholic leaders and openly associating with evangelical churches.
As Venezuelans prepare to cast their ballots, they face a choice between reelecting President Maduro for a third six-year term or supporting the underdog candidate, Javier Bertucci, an evangelical pastor. While religion may not be the defining factor in most voters' decisions, it continues to influence Venezuelan society on social and spiritual levels. Religious organizations like the Catholic charity Cáritas have played a crucial role in providing humanitarian aid to a population where poverty affects more than 90% of people.
The constitutional guarantee of religious freedom in Venezuela has been tested in recent years, with religious groups reporting that they generally enjoy freedom of worship as long as they refrain from criticizing Maduro-aligned figures or policies. Representatives of Venezuela's conference of Catholic bishops and the Evangelical Council of Venezuela have reported verbal harassment from Maduro supporters when calling attention to the country's humanitarian crisis.
As the election approaches, the role of religion in Venezuelan politics remains complex and multifaceted. While voters may not explicitly cite their religious beliefs as a determining factor in their electoral choices, the deep-rooted faith of many Venezuelans continues to shape the country's social and political landscape. In a nation grappling with severe economic hardship, religious institutions and beliefs often provide a source of hope and community support, underscoring the enduring importance of spirituality in Venezuelan society.
