Pope urges respect for Venezuelan sovereignty after Maduro capture

Monday 05 January 2026 - 09:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Pope urges respect for Venezuelan sovereignty after Maduro capture

Pope Leo XIV voiced deep concern on Sunday over Venezuela's political crisis, calling for respect of the nation's sovereignty following a dramatic U.S. military operation that captured President Nicolás Maduro. Speaking during the Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square on January 4, the pontiff stressed that "the good of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail over every other consideration."

His remarks came a day after U.S. special forces executed Operation Absolute Resolve, a large-scale strike on Caracas that seized Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in the early hours of January 3. The couple was flown to New York to face narco-terrorism conspiracy charges in the Southern District of New York. At least 40 people, including civilians and soldiers, died in the assault, according to a senior Venezuelan official cited by The New York Times.

Pope Leo emphasized overcoming violence through paths of justice and peace, upholding the country's sovereignty, constitutional rule of law, human rights, and civil liberties for all. He drew special attention to Venezuela's poorest citizens enduring the nation's dire economic plight. The Venezuelan bishops' conference issued statements urging prayer and unity while condemning all violence. "We express solidarity with the wounded and families of the deceased," the bishops said. Archbishop Jesús González de Zárate, the conference president, told media he had been awake since 2 a.m. following events.

In Maduro's wake, Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice directed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to assume the presidency under articles 233 and 234 of the constitution. Rodríguez branded the U.S. operation a "brutal aggression" and demanded Maduro's immediate release, insisting "there is only one president in this country, and his name is Nicolás Maduro." The UN Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for January 5 to address the raid. International reactions split: Russia and China decried the strikes as breaches of international law, while some Latin American leaders and Venezuelan diaspora communities welcomed Maduro's ouster.