Pope Leo warns Donald Trump not to attack Venezuela in major intervent | World | News
Pope Leo warned Donald Trump not to attack Venezuela to oust President Nicolas Maduro.
Leo, the first American pope in history, told reporters on the papal plane returning from Lebanon that the Venezuelan bishops’ conference and the Vatican Embassy in Caracas were trying to calm the situation and draw attention to the plight of ordinary Venezuelans.
His intervention comes as the Trump administration sent a dozen warships and 15,000 troops to stop undocumented immigrants and illegal drugs from Venezuela.
“Voices coming out of the United States change with a certain frequency from time to time,” he said. “On the one hand, there appears to be a telephone conversation between the two presidents, and on the other hand, there is this danger, this is an activity, there is the possibility of an operation that includes the occupation of Venezuelan territory.”
He emphasized that he had no further information. “I believe it is better to once again look for ways to dialogue, to put pressure, perhaps including economic pressure, but to look for other ways of change, if that is what the United States wants to do.
Leo said he hopes to make his second trip as pope to Africa, visiting many countries, especially Algeria for its important role in Christian-Muslim relations.
Leo, an Augustinian missionary, was inspired by Algeria’s fifth-century theologian St. Paul, the most cited church father who inspired his own religious order. It reminded him that Augustine was also important in his life.
Leo also said he hopes to visit three countries in Latin America in 2026 or 2027: Argentina, Uruguay and Peru, where he lived as a missionary for two decades. Argentina, in particular, was waiting for the papal visit since Pope Francis never went home after the 2013 elections.
Leo was returning from his first trip as pope to Türkiye and Lebanon.
Pope draws attention to conflict in Southern Lebanon to wrap up first foreign trip
In his farewell address at Beirut airport at the end of his papacy’s first foreign trip on Tuesday, Pope Leo
Christians in the south were disappointed that his visit did not include areas damaged by last year’s war between Israel and Hezbollah and still the target of regular Israeli air strikes.
Describing the cities of Sidon and Tyre, mentioned in the New Testament, as “Biblical places”, Leo said, “I salute all the parts of Lebanon that I could not visit: Tripoli and its north, Bekaa and the south of the country, where conflict and uncertainty are currently experienced.”
“Let the attacks and hostilities end,” he said. “We must accept that armed struggle brings no benefit. Even though weapons are lethal, negotiation, mediation and dialogue are constructive.”
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called on the pope to keep Lebanon in his prayers.
The Lebanese are “loyal people who deserve life, who deserve it,” he said. “As we bid you farewell, we leave not only an honored guest, but also our father, who comforted us and reminded us that the world has not forgotten Lebanon.”
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