Pope Leo XIV Holds Unscheduled Audience With Venezuelan Opposition Figure María Corina Machado

Pope Leo XIV met privately with Venezuelan opposition leader and recent Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado at the Vatican on Monday. Although the appointment was absent from the pontiff’s published agenda, the Vatican later confirmed the encounter in its daily bulletin, offering no additional details about the discussion or its length.

The audience took place as Machado pursues a multi-nation tour across Europe and the United States. She reappeared publicly in December after a prolonged period in hiding to accept the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize during a ceremony in Oslo. Vatican officials did not specify whether the prize, Venezuela’s political situation, or Machado’s future plans dominated the conversation with the pope.

Leo XIV, the first American to lead the Roman Catholic Church, has repeatedly voiced concern over Venezuela’s political turmoil. In 2025 he urged that the country “remain independent” after U.S. military personnel captured former president Nicolás Maduro at his Caracas compound and transferred him to New York to face federal drug-trafficking charges. The pope also appealed for the protection of human and civil rights amid the rapidly evolving power struggle.

Following Maduro’s removal, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assumed control with explicit backing from U.S. President Donald Trump. The move came despite long-standing American bipartisan support for the Venezuelan opposition, which for years had pledged to replace Maduro with a democratic leadership of its own. The opposition’s strategy was abruptly upended when the White House recognized Rodríguez’s authority.

Many prominent opposition figures have since been detained or driven into exile. Machado spent months in an undisclosed location before resurfacing to collect her Nobel Prize. Other leaders remain imprisoned, underscoring the fragmented state of the anti-government movement.

Machado dedicated the Nobel award to Trump and the Venezuelan people immediately after the prize was announced. She stated she wished to give or share the honor with the U.S. president, who has openly campaigned for the distinction since returning to office. Machado’s gesture further highlighted the complex relationship between Venezuelan dissidents and Washington, particularly under an administration that alternates between support for regime change and accommodation with Rodríguez’s interim government.

The Vatican routinely lists papal audiences without providing substantive summaries, and officials maintained that practice after Monday’s meeting. Still, the encounter signals the Holy See’s ongoing engagement with the Venezuelan crisis, an issue that has drawn global attention because of economic collapse, mass migration, and human-rights concerns. International observers continue to track whether the pope’s moral authority could facilitate negotiations between rival factions or encourage external actors to temper their interventions.

Imagem: imagem internet 37

Machado’s itinerary remains undisclosed, but her European and American tour is expected to include meetings with legislators, non-governmental organizations, and diaspora groups. Her objective, according to aides, is to secure broader diplomatic backing for fresh elections and to press for the release of political prisoners. Analysts note that an endorsement from the Vatican, even if implicit, can bolster an opposition figure’s legitimacy on the world stage.

Leo XIV has previously dispatched envoys to Latin American trouble spots, relying on the Holy See’s traditional role as a neutral broker. Whether the pope intends to launch a similar effort for Venezuela has not been confirmed. For now, Vatican sources emphasize only that the pontiff remains “deeply troubled” by reports of repression and economic hardship.

Venezuela’s unrest continues to command international attention. According to Reuters, the country’s economy has contracted sharply over the past decade, prompting millions to leave in search of stability. The arrest of Maduro, unprecedented U.S. involvement, and leadership changes in Caracas have added new dimensions to an already complex conflict.

Machado’s next public appearance is expected later this week in Brussels, where she will brief members of the European Parliament on conditions inside Venezuela. No additional meetings with Pope Leo XIV are scheduled, but Vatican officials have not ruled out future contact as events unfold.

Crédito da imagem: Associated Press