Pope Leo Meets Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado at the Vatican
Pope Leo XIV held a private audience with Venezuelan opposition figure and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado at the Vatican on Monday, the Holy See confirmed. The meeting — which was not listed in the pope’s earlier schedule — was later included in the Vatican’s daily bulletin, but no further details have been released about their discussions.
Machado, who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her work advocating democratic rights and peaceful change in Venezuela, has recently been travelling through Europe and the United States following her reappearance after months in hiding. She is also expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump later this week.
Pope Leo, the first American pontiff, has voiced serious concern about the situation in Venezuela, particularly after U.S. forces captured former President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month. In recent speeches, he has called for respect for Venezuela’s sovereignty and for the protection of human and civil rights amid ongoing political and humanitarian challenges.
The Vatican has not yet responded to requests for further information regarding the private meeting.
