Carlos Julio Rojas, a Venezuelan journalist and former political prisoner, recently accused the socialist government, led by acting president Delcy Rodriguez, of criminalizing the Catholic “Burning of Judah” Easter tradition.
Rojas, who faced unjust detention by the Venezuelan regime shortly after participating in the 2024 Burning of Judah in Caracas, claimed that members of the Bolivarian National Police blocked local communities from observing their traditions.
The Burning of Judah is an age-old practice celebrated in various Latin American and European countries during the Easter weekend. It involves the creation and burning of a statue of Judas Iscariot, symbolizing betrayal and marking the events leading to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.
Typically observed in Venezuela on Easter Sunday, it is believed the tradition began in the city of Cumana in 1499. Beyond its Catholic roots, the Burning of Judas often serves as a way for communities to express their discontent with local and international figures. In recent years, Venezuelan opposition groups have used it to burn effigies of former dictator Nicolás Maduro, while supporters of the regime have targeted figures like Donald Trump.
In 2024, Rojas, an activist from La Candelaria in Caracas, led his community’s ceremony. During this event, they burned effigies representing President Maduro and Manuel Rosales, a left-wing politician who had recently backed out of a presidential run against Maduro.
Days after the 2024 ceremony, Rojas was unjustly detained and accused of conspiring to assassinate Maduro. He spent 21 months in the notorious Helicoide before being released in January, shortly after a U.S. operation aimed at arresting Maduro and his associates.
Following Maduro’s arrest, Jorge Rodriguez, president of the socialist-controlled National Assembly and brother of Delcy Rodriguez, announced the release of many political prisoners in a controversial amnesty.
On Sunday, Rojas criticized the local court for delaying his clemency case for over a month, which prevented him from attending the Burning of Judah ceremony. He alleged that the government’s lag was a tactic to intimidate those who might protest or publicly oppose Delcy Rodriguez’s administration.
“By criminalizing cultural traditions like the Burning of Judah out of fear of criticism, it highlights that Venezuela is still under a dictatorship,” Rojas stated.
In a social media post, Rojas noted that a large presence of Bolivarian National Police was observed at the site of La Candelaria’s ceremony, where the event has taken place for the past 15 years.
“I’ve faced arrest multiple times, including a near two-year imprisonment. It’s shocking that what is considered a cultural event in Venezuela is labeled as terrorism by the government,” he shared.
Just weeks after his release, Rojas spoke to the Colombian news outlet NTN24, revealing the psychological and physical mistreatment he endured during his unjust imprisonment.
He described being deprived of sunlight for 70 days, isolated for four months, and denied necessary medications, all while facing inhumane conditions in a punishment cell.
In late February, the Venezuelan government announced plans to transform the area surrounding Helicoide into a community center.
