A World Council of Churches (WCC) webinar, “Latin America: The relevance of international law in today’s world: untangling the situation in Cuba and Venezuela,” held 16 July, explored what international law requires of the global community — and how churches should respond.
In opening remarks, Peter Prove, director of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, explained that these issues are not only geopolitical ones but profound ethical and spiritual questions as well.
“From the standpoint of international law, interventions such as those perpetrated by the Russian federation in Ukraine and by the US in Venezuela raise serious concerns,” he said. “For the WCC, such illegal violations are also theological and ethical violations.”
Churches cannot be indifferent, urged Prove. “The humanitarian impacts are grave,” he said.
Joel Ortega Dopico, President of the Cuban Council of Churches, mentioned how disasters such as Hurricane Melissa, which hit the eastern provinces of Cuba very hard in October 2025, have exacerbated the decades-long economic hardship in the country, and the shattering effects of the US blockade.
“We’ve been going through this for 60 years already and more,” he said. “Now, currently Cuba has the accumulation of many strong impacts on the economic cycle, and on society in the country.”
Berla Andrade, an ordained minister and professor at the Bolivarian University of Venezuela, is also moderator of the Central Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Venezuela.
“If we examine international law around the world today, we conclude that it cannot be a merely abstract exercise,” she said. “For us, Venezuelans, that’s the last mile between the life of the majority and an imperial absolutism that is barbaric.”
Luis Moreno Ocampo, an Argentine lawyer who served as the first prosecutor of the International Criminal Court from 2003 to 2012, reflected on why Christians should care about the International Criminal Court.
“I think that’s crucial today,” he said. “Moderate voices should be presented, and Christians are perfect to lead the moderate voices.”
This webinar, moderated by Lani Anaya Jiménez, was second in a series exploring regional trends with global implications, and the ecumenical response to them.
The discussions will feed into the Joint Biennial Conference of the WCC Commissions and Reference Groups for Life, Justice and Peace, to be held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, 4–10 October 2026.
Webinar will explore relevance of international law in Cuba, Venezuela (WCC news release, 9 July 2026)
