By Editorial,
Pope Leo decried the use of military force as a means of achieving diplomatic goals yesterday, delivering an unusually fiery annual foreign policy speech in which he also called for human rights to be protected in Venezuela.
Leo, the first U.S. pope, said the weakness of international organizations in the face of global conflicts was a particular cause for concern.
Referring to the capture by U.S. forces of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on the orders of President Donald Trump last weekend, the pope called for world governments to “respect the will” of the Venezuelan people going forward.
Leo’s comments were part of an address that is sometimes called the pope’s “state of the world” speech. It was the first given by Leo, who was elected following the death of Pope Francis. End.