Machado Meets Pope Francis in Rome
Venezuelan Opposition Leader Machado Meets with pope Before Trump Visit
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Monday before traveling to Washington, D.C., for a meeting with Donald Trump on Tuesday. The Vatican announced the meeting at midday, around the time sources close to Machado said she was en route to the United States.
This is the first meeting Machado has held with a world leader since the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
the Vatican listed Machado as simply “Mrs. María Corina Machado” in its daily bulletin of audiences, omitting any official title. However, making the meeting public is considered a meaningful gesture of support. The Pope frequently meets with significant figures outside of scheduled appointments, as he recently did with the mayor of Madrid, but publicizing the encounter signals informal backing.
The Vatican press office confirmed the meeting took place on Monday.
Read more about the political context at ABC.es.