Pope Meets Venezuelan Nobel Prize Winner Maria Corina Machado
Pope Leo receives the Venezuelan politician and activist in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace.
By Salvatore Cernuzio
At the end of a Monday morning filled wiht meetings at the Vatican’s Apostolic palace, Pope Leo XIV received Maria Corina Machado, the former member of the Venezuelan National Assembly who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in october 2025.
Maduro’s capture on january 3
Table of Contents
The meeting took place about 10 days after the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores during the U.S. military operation known as “Operation Absolute Resolve” on January 3 in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.
Maduro, accused of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism, is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, United States.
A Venezuelan politician and human rights activist,Machado leads the liberal-conservative party “vente venezuela”,which has always opposed Maduro’s government. Forced to flee the country, she traveled to Oslo in December to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
This week-while Venezuela is being governed on an interim basis by Delcy Rodríguez, and while work is underway on a transition supported by the international community (news has also emerged in recent days of the release of several political prisoners)- Machado is expected in Washington for a meeting with president Donald Trump, according to statements made by him.
The Pope and Maria corina Machado (@Vatican Media)
Pope francis and Maria Corina Machado Meeting
Pope Francis met with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado at the Vatican on January 13, 2024.
The meeting occurred amidst growing international concern over the political situation in Venezuela, particularly regarding the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for 2024. Machado, a vocal critic of the Nicolás Maduro government, is currently barred from holding public office, a disqualification she challenges as politically motivated. The Vatican stated that the meeting was part of Pope Francis’s ongoing efforts to promote dialog and peaceful resolutions in Venezuela.
According to the Vatican News, the Pope expressed his concern for the socio-political situation in Venezuela and reiterated his desire for a broad and inclusive dialogue to address the challenges facing the country. Vatican News Report
Maria Corina Machado
Maria Corina machado is a Venezuelan politician and activist who has been a prominent figure in the opposition to the maduro government.
She is a member of the National Assembly and has been a strong advocate for free and fair elections in Venezuela. machado’s political disqualification, initially imposed in 2015 and later reinstated in 2023, prevents her from participating in the 2024 presidential elections.Human Rights Watch Report on Machado’s Disqualification
Machado has consistently denounced the Maduro government’s human rights record and called for international pressure to restore democracy in Venezuela.
the Vatican’s Role in Venezuela
The Vatican has historically played a mediating role in Venezuelan politics, seeking to facilitate dialogue between the government and the opposition.
Pope Francis has repeatedly expressed his concern for the Venezuelan people and has called for a peaceful resolution to the country’s political crisis. In 2016, the Vatican initiated a dialogue process between the government and the opposition, but it ultimately failed to yield significant results. Reuters Report on Vatican Mediation
The Vatican continues to offer its good offices to promote dialogue and reconciliation in Venezuela, emphasizing the importance of respecting human rights and democratic principles.