Venezuela Crisis: Pope Leo XIV Calls for Sovereignty and Peace After US Capture of Nicolas Maduro and Cilia Flores

Vatican City, January 4: Pope Leo XIV issued an urgent appeal for peace and the respect of national sovereignty on Sunday, following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by United States forces. During his weekly Angelus address in St. Peter’s Square, the Chicago-born Pontiff expressed “deep concern” over the military strikes ordered by President Donald Trump, which led to the couple's extradition to New York. The Pope emphasized that the welfare of the Venezuelan people must "prevail over every other consideration," urging a transition away from violence toward "paths of justice and peace." While Donald Trump described the operation as a "brilliant" success to dismantle a "narco-regime," Leo XIV focused on the humanitarian impact, calling for the protection of civil rights and the rule of law. He concluded his address by inviting the global faithful to pray for stability, entrusting the nation to the intercession of Our Lady of Coromoto and Venezuelan saints José Gregorio Hernández and Carmen Rendiles. How Much Oil Does Venezuela Have? Here’s Why Donald Trump’s Focus on the Latin American Country Raises Questions About Its Reserves

‘The Good of the People Must Prevail’

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