Currently, in Venezuela, there is a power struggle between the sitting president Nicolás Maduro and Juan Guaidó. Maduro was elected in 2013 by a narrow margin after Hugo Chávez died and was recently re-elected to a second six-year term in May 2018. The opposition claims that the recent elections were not free nor fair. Candidates had either been barred from running, jailed or fled the country on fears of being jailed by Maduro. Guaidó claims that he is the legitimate president and President Trump has even gone as far as tweeting out a message recognizing Guaidó as the interim President of Venezuela. Maduro claims the recent issues to the power grid in Venezuela is an attack initiated by the United States as a way to remove him from power.
Latin America has had its share of dictators who have rules under fear and oppression. Some examples are Fidel Castro in Cuba and Hugo Chávez in Venezuela. They use their power and influence over the military to oppress the people of the country and to eliminate any threat to their power. Chávez admired Castro and used the oil industry in Venezuela to promote his objectives and to resist any outside influences from the United States. Nicolás Maduro and Hugo Chávez were close and Maduro stated that he would continue the policies of Chávez.
“Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God” (Proverbs 14:31). “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done” (Proverbs 19:17).
I chose these two passages because they tie in well with this week’s devotional and this week’s reading. We have a responsibility to use our power and influence to honor God and others around us. To do this we should do everything in our power to help the poor and needy. All are equal in the eyes of the Lord. When that power is used for personal gain and to keep those oppressed we bring dishonor on ourselves.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-36319877
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