JAKARTA - The leader of the world's Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, on Sunday called for peace, respect for sovereignty, protection of human rights (HAM) and civil rights in Venezuela, following the United States' attack on the country, which was followed by the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
Speaking at the Angelus prayer in the afternoon at St. Peter's Square, according to Vatican News, Pope Leo expressed his concern over the latest developments, saying: "The good of the beloved people of Venezuela must be put above every other consideration and lead us to overcome violence and to take the path of justice and peace, safeguarding the sovereignty of the country, ensuring the rule of law enshrined in the Constitution," quoted from Anadolu (4/1)
Pope Leo also called for "respect for the human and civil rights of every person and all people, and to work together to build a peaceful, collaborative, stable, and harmonious future, with special attention to the poor who suffer from difficult economic situations."
He concluded his appeal by urging trust in God, saying, "Let us continue to believe in the God of peace," and calling for solidarity with those suffering from war.
It is known that the United States launched an attack on the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, on Saturday, followed by the arrest of President Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
The New York Times quoted Venezuelan officials who spoke anonymously as saying at least 40 people were killed in the US attack, including civilians and soldiers.
Maduro is charged with cocaine smuggling to the US and a number of other crimes, in an indictment filed by federal prosecutors in the Southern District, New York.
According to Vatican News, the Venezuelan Bishops' Conference also issued a statement on Sunday expressing solidarity with the people and rejecting violence, calling on Venezuelans to persevere in prayer and unity and urging that all decisions be made "for the good of our people."
Venezuela on Saturday morning said the US attacked civilian and military installations in several states, and then declared a national state of emergency.
US President Donald Trump later confirmed the "large-scale" attack, adding that Maduro and his wife had been arrested and flown out of the country. He then said the US would "manage" Venezuela until a "safe" transition was guaranteed, and repair its "broken" oil infrastructure.
The attacks come after months of increased US pressure on Maduro, who Washington accuses of being involved in the drug trade.
The Venezuelan leader denied the allegations and expressed his readiness for dialogue.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
