Pope Leo appeals to Venezuela to remain independent

The head of the Catholic Church said on Sunday that she was watching developments in Venezuela with a "soul full of concern" after the United States overthrew President Nicolás Maduro a day earlier.

America's first pope, Pope Leo XIV, urged Venezuela to remain an independent country and to respect human rights.

Maduro and his wife were captured in a US operation on Saturday night, carried out by US special forces at the behest of US President Donald Trump. The operation was preceded by months of tension between the United States and Venezuela.

(reuters, max)