Pope Leo meets Venezuelan opposition leader Machado at Vatican

Pope Leo met Venezuelan ​opposition leader and Nobel peace prize ‌winner Maria Corina Machado ​on Monday (January 12, 2026), the Vatican said, but did not provide any further details.

Winter Heating Solutions

Solimo 2000/1000 Watts Room Heater

Adjustable thermostat • ISI certified • Ideal for small to medium rooms

📦 Featured Product Recommendation

Below is a top-recommended product you can buy on Amazon — support us by using the link below (we earn a commission at no extra cost to you).

🔗 Buy on Amazon

* Shop with confidence — Amazon Affiliate Link

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.* 1

Check Price on Amazon

RR Signature WARMAXX Room Heater

Dual heating mode • Overheat protection • 5-level safety • 2 year warranty

View on Amazon

Borosil 2000W Novus Electric Fan Heater

Made in India • Variable temperature • Horizontal & vertical placement

See Details on Amazon

*Affiliate links. No extra cost to you.

The meeting, listed among the Pope’s appointments for Monday in a daily Vatican statement, ​had not been included in ⁠an earlier advisory to the press about Pope Leo’s planned schedule for the day.

Leo, the ​first U.S. ⁠Pope, has called for Venezuela to remain an independent country after the capture by U.S. ‌forces of Venezuelan President Nicolas ‌Maduro on the orders of President Donald Trump.

In a major ‍foreign policy speech on Friday, the Pope decried the use of ‍military force as a means of achieving diplomatic goals and called for human rights to be protected in Venezuela.

Ms. Machado, a former National Assembly member, was barred from running in Venezuela’s 2024 general election ⁠by authorities aligned with Mr. Maduro.

She backed a stand-in candidate ​who was widely considered to have ⁠won the vote, although Mr. Maduro claimed victory. Ballot audits by independent observers showed irregularities in the official results.