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Venezuelan Opposition Leader Meets Pope to Advocate for Political Prisoners

KVIA•Monday, January 12, 2026 at 11:57 AM•CNN Newsource

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María Corina Machado, a prominent Venezuelan opposition figure, had a meeting with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Monday, as confirmed by the Vatican press office. The meeting's purpose was to advocate for the release of political prisoners in Venezuela, according to Machado's party, Vente Venezuela. Recently, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the need to respect the will of the Venezuelan people and seek peaceful solutions to the ongoing crisis, which he attributed partly to drug trafficking. Machado, who secretly left Venezuela in December, is expected to meet with former President Donald Trump this week to discuss her country's situation.

Key Details: • Machado met with Pope Leo XIV on Monday at the Vatican. • The meeting focused on advocating for the release of political prisoners in Venezuela. • Pope Leo XIV highlighted the need for peaceful solutions to the Venezuelan crisis. • Machado recently traveled from Norway after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. • She is expected to meet with Donald Trump later this week.

politics human-rights venezuela pope opposition

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Donald TrumpVenezuelaVaticanPope Leo XIVMaría Corina MachadoVente VenezuelaOslo

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