Pope Leo Urges US To Avoid Using Force Against Venezuela, Calls For A Peaceful Option

Pope Leo has appealed to the United States to steer clear of any military plan to unseat Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, urging Washington to rely on dialogue and coordinated pressure instead. His remarks came while returning from a visit to Turkey and Lebanon, marking his first foreign tour as pontiff.

Call for Dialogue and Non Military Measures

Speaking to reporters on the flight, Pope Leo said it was "better to search for ways of dialogue, or perhaps pressure, including economic pressure" when addressing the crisis in Venezuela. He warned that military intervention would risk worsening tensions rather than resolving them.

Trump Administration's Options Under Scrutiny

US officials have been exploring various strategies in response to what they describe as Maduro's involvement in drug trafficking harming American citizens. Maduro has rejected all such allegations.
When asked about former President Donald Trump's past suggestion of possibly removing Maduro by force, Pope Leo stressed that the United States should consider alternative approaches "if that is what they want to do in the United States."

Reuters previously reported that US planners had even assessed scenarios involving Maduro's possible ouster, concurrent with months of maritime operations aimed at intercepting suspected drug smuggling near Venezuela.

Mixed Signals from Washington

Pope Leo noted that Washington's posture on Venezuela appeared uncertain. "On one hand, it seems there was a call between the two presidents," he said, referring to a phone conversation between Trump and Maduro last month. "On the other hand, there is the danger, there is the possibility there will be some activity, some military operation."

He added that "the voices that come from the United States, they change with a certain frequency," underscoring his concern about the inconsistent tone coming from American leadership.

A Pope Familiar with Latin America

Leo, elected in May and originally from Chicago, has long standing ties to Latin America, having spent years serving as a cleric in Peru. His experience, Reuters noted, gives him a close understanding of the region's political and social challenges.