Pope Leo XIII called today for the sovereignty of Venezuela and the rule of law to be guaranteed, the Italian news agency ANSA reported, quoted by BTA.
"The good of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail over all other considerations and lead to overcoming violence and embarking on the path of justice and peace, guaranteeing the sovereignty of the country and the rule of law enshrined in the Constitution, respecting the human and civil rights of each person and working to build a peaceful future of cooperation, stability and harmony, with special attention to the poorest who suffer due to the difficult economic situation“, said Pope Leo XIII, who today recited the Sunday Angelus prayer at the Vatican.
He called on Venezuela to remain an independent country and said that he was following the events following the overthrow of President Nicolas Maduro by the United States with “a soul full of concern“, Reuters reported.
“We must not delay in overcoming the violence“, the pope said from the balcony of his office to worshippers in “St. Peter's Square“.
US President Donald Trump said yesterday that the United States would take control of oil-rich Venezuela after ordering an operation to capture Maduro, who is currently in a detention center in New York awaiting drug trafficking charges.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church, who has criticized some of Trump's policies, urged the US president last month not to overthrow Maduro using military force.