New religious, missionary visas being denied after remarks made public


Pat Robertson's recent remarks about the president of Venezuela have created problems for United States church members working in the South American country.

In a late-August episode of his television program The 700 Club, Robertson advocated the assassination of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

“I don't know about this doctrine of assassination,” Robertson said, “but if (Chavez) thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think we really ought to go ahead and do it.” The U.S. State Department denounced the remarks, and Robertson later apologized.

Robertson's comments “intensified an already intense situation,” said Michelle Goff, a missionary in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, since March 2003.

Relations between the United States and Venezuela have been strained since Chavez was elected in 1998. Most recently the two countries have disagreed on counter-narcotics policies.

“As a result of Pat Robertson's comments, all new religious or missionary visas are being denied,” Goff said. “There have been no direct comments made about how this affects renewals of (existing) religious visas.”

That's bad news for church members hoping to work in Venezuela, including Jonathan Hanegan, a student at Oklahoma Christian University, Oklahoma City, who spent two months this summer working with churches in Venezuela.

Missionaries can continue to enter the country on tourist visas, but must leave the country every 90 days to maintain their tourist status.

Today there are more than 40 churches of Christ in Venezuela, with an average of about 50 members per church. Goff is one of only two full-time missionaries from the United States in Venezuela. The Northwest church, Houston, administers her mission funds.

During his time in Venezuela, Hanegan said he saw evidence of anti-U.S. sentiment. Graffiti on bridges denounces the United States as imperialistic. Anti-U.S. marches occur every couple of months, Goff said, but none has turned violent.

“Most Venezuelans are still positive about North Americans,” Goff said, and many want to learn English. Goff and church members in east Caracas teach English using the Bible, and in April 70 students signed up for classes. “For more than 50 of those individuals, this was their first introduction to the church.”

Hanegan said he witnessed more than 50 baptisms during his two months in Venezuela.

“All of this unrest has served as the perfect atmosphere for the gospel to be spread,” Goff said. “Yes, we have been affected by recent political and international events, but we press on and pray that God can continue to use us here in whatever way possible.”