Peace through Vatican? Maduro turns to Pope Leo XIV with unusual request
Photo: Pope Leo XIV (Getty Images)
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has appealed to Pope Leo XIV for help in preserving peace in the country amid rising tensions with the United States, according to The Associated Press.
On Monday, during his weekly address on national television, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced that amid growing tensions with the United States and increased military activity in the Caribbean, he had officially reached out to Pope Leo XIV.
According to Maduro, he sent the pontiff a formal letter requesting mediation to help preserve peace and stability in Venezuela.
"I have great faith that Pope Leo, as I stated in the letter I sent him, will help Venezuela preserve and achieve peace and stability," Maduro said during his weekly show on state television.
The Venezuelan government’s press office has not yet provided details or released the content of the letter to the Vatican.
Maduro’s appeal comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions, as US forces continue operations off the Venezuelan coast, striking vessels allegedly involved in narcotics trafficking. President Donald Trump has described these actions as an "armed conflict" against drug cartels, significantly raising the risk of confrontation in the region.
Maduro has repeatedly accused the United States of attempting to remove him from power and destabilize the country, calling recent US military actions part of a broader campaign of pressure aimed at regime change in Caracas.
US strikes on suspected drug vessels in Caribbean
On August 9, the United States announced a new campaign against drug cartels, targeting groups such as Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles, allegedly linked to Maduro.
On September 2, 2025, US forces reported destroying a speedboat believed to be smuggling narcotics from Venezuela to the southern Caribbean. President Donald Trump said the vessel carried 11 members of the Tren de Aragua criminal group.
Further strikes followed, on September 15, September 19, and October 3, 2025, when a fourth attack on a suspected smuggling boat killed four individuals. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the strike took place in international waters near Venezuela, targeting a vessel carrying a large quantity of drugs bound for the United States.
