In a significant diplomatic intervention, Pope Leo has directly urged former US President Donald Trump to abandon any consideration of using military force to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
A Call for Diplomacy Over Conflict
The pontiff, speaking to reporters on Tuesday 2 December 2025, emphasised that Washington should seek alternative paths to instigate change in the South American nation. The first American Pope suggested that dialogue or economic pressure would be preferable to armed intervention.
"It is better to search for ways of dialogue, or perhaps pressure, including economic pressure," Pope Leo stated during a news conference. He added that the United States should explore these other methods "if that is what they want to do."
The Context of Trump's Threats
The Pope's remarks came in direct response to threats from the Trump administration regarding President Maduro. The US government has been evaluating options to counter what it describes as Maduro's involvement in supplying illegal drugs, which it claims have caused American deaths.
The socialist Venezuelan president has consistently denied any links to the narcotics trade. The longstanding political and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela has been a persistent foreign policy challenge for successive US administrations.
Timing and Papal Authority
Pope Leo made these comments while returning from an official visit to Turkey and Lebanon, which marked his first overseas trip since assuming the papacy. His unique position as a hemispheric figure—being the first Pope from the Americas—lends particular weight to his counsel on matters concerning the region.
This public guidance from the Vatican represents a notable moment in the complex geopolitical standoff, advocating for a de-escalation of rhetoric and a return to diplomatic channels to resolve one of the hemisphere's most protracted crises.
