Vatican / Rome — December 2, 2025 | Dalena Reporters
In a public statement on Tuesday, Pope Leo XIV appealed to the United States and Venezuela to resolve their mounting tensions through dialogue and diplomacy rather than force, as speculation mounts over possible U.S. military actions against Caracas.
Speaking to journalists aboard the papal plane returning from his apostolic journey, the pontiff acknowledged mixed signals coming from Washington including a recent phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, alongside reports of U.S. troop deployments and naval operations near Venezuelan waters.
Pope Leo stressed that while every nation has the right to defend peace, escalating military pressure risks triggering greater instability. “With violence we don’t win,” he said, advocating instead for “dialogue, perhaps pressure, including economic pressure” as viable alternatives to force.
The Vatican’s call comes amid a tense international standoff: the U.S. has ramped up military operations in the Caribbean, including strikes on vessels alleged to be linked to drug trafficking operations that Caracas condemns as a pretext for intervention.
Observers say the Pope’s intervention could influence diplomatic discourse at a pivotal moment offering a moral and religious voice in a geopolitical flashpoint, and potentially shaping international and regional responses.
By Dalena Reporters — International Affairs Desk