In a moment charged with both pastoral concern and global significance, Pope Leo XIV welcomed Venezuelan political leader and human rights advocate Maria Corina Machado to the Apostolic Palace, offering a visible sign of the Church’s continued attention to the suffering and future of the Venezuelan people.
According to Vatican News, the meeting took place at the Vatican following a series of papal audiences and comes at a critical juncture for Venezuela, which has been gripped by political turmoil, economic collapse, and violence for more than a decade. Machado, a former member of Venezuela’s National Assembly and leader of the opposition party Vente Venezuela, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2025 for her nonviolent resistance and advocacy for democratic reform.
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The encounter occurred just days after the dramatic capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a U.S. military operation carried out in Caracas on January 3. Maduro, long accused of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism, is currently being held in the United States, according to Vatican News. The aftermath of the operation was marked by deadly violence, with approximately 80 people killed, including civilians and military personnel.
In the wake of those events, Pope Leo XIV publicly expressed his grave concern for Venezuela. During his Angelus address on January 4, he stated that “the good of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail over every other consideration,” calling for an end to violence and a renewed commitment to justice and peace, according to Vatican News. The Holy Father emphasized the need to guarantee national sovereignty while upholding the dignity of every human person.
The Pope further urged respect for “the human and civil rights of each and every person” and appealed for collective efforts to “build a peaceful future of cooperation, stability and harmony, with special attention to the poorest who are suffering because of the difficult economic situation,” according to Vatican News.
Machado’s visit to the Vatican also comes as Venezuela enters a fragile transition period. The country is currently under interim governance, and reports have emerged of political prisoners being released, developments that have drawn cautious optimism from the international community. Vatican News reports that Machado is expected to travel to Washington this week for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Pope Leo XIV reiterated his message to the international diplomatic corps on January 9, again addressing Venezuela’s crisis. He called for efforts to build “a society founded on justice, truth, freedom and fraternity,” and appealed to all parties to “respect the will of the Venezuelan people, and to safeguard the human and civil rights of all, ensuring a future of stability and concord,” according to Vatican News.
For Catholics around the world, the Pope’s meeting with Maria Corina Machado stands as a reminder that the Church does not retreat from the world’s suffering but seeks to illuminate it with the light of the Gospel. In moments of national trauma and uncertainty, the Holy Father continues to point toward reconciliation rooted in truth, peace grounded in justice, and hope sustained by faith.
As Venezuela faces an uncertain path forward, the Vatican’s voice remains clear: authentic renewal can only be built upon the dignity of the human person and the moral responsibility of leaders to serve the common good.
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