Maduro says late Pope Francis warned him of US death threat

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen + Zenit
21 Oct 2025 11:22

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has revealed that Pope Francis warned him in 2016 of US death threats amid increased militarization in the Caribbean.

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Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks at a news conference in Caracas, Venezuela, on September 1, 2025. (AP)

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro revealed that late Pope Francis personally warned him in November 2016 that the United States sought to have him killed, marking the last time he spoke with the pope in person.

National defense and sovereignty

Speaking publicly, Maduro highlighted Venezuela’s ongoing deployment of its defense assets across the country.

“Venezuela continues to successfully advance all plans for the deployment of its national defense system,” he said, asserting that the country’s defense capabilities are now stronger than ever and fully prepared to safeguard its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence while ensuring peace.

“In today’s world, no one respects cowards or the faint-hearted. Here, we respect the brave,” Maduro added, outlining a dual approach: preparation for long-term popular resistance and readiness for decisive action to protect peace.

“This is our motto: to continue achieving peace,” he said.

Maduro also framed the US death threats within the broader context of a multi-year campaign abroad against himself and the late president and revolutionary Hugo Chavez, describing it as ultimately targeting the Venezuelan people while portraying Venezuela as a dictatorship.

Venezuela rejects slavery

Amid the ongoing militarization of the Caribbean by the US Southern Command, under the direct oversight of President Donald Trump and amid threats against his leadership, Maduro addressed the nation, speaking directly to citizens as the country braces for escalating tensions.

“Do you want to be slaves to the racist American extremists? Do you want us to lose our freedoms and be treated as immigrants in the United States, with kicks and bullets?”

“Do you want us to return to being a colony, with others deciding everything and stealing our oil and resources?”

“No slaves, no colonies! We want to be free, sovereign, and independent today, tomorrow, and forever,” Maduro underlined.

Regional solidarity

Additionally, Maduro emphasized Venezuela’s historical and cultural ties with Colombia, invoking the legacy of Simon Bolivar.

“What happens in Colombia happens in Venezuela, and what happens in Venezuela happens in Colombia,” he said, citing a Colombian military officer who recently expressed solidarity with Venezuelan sovereignty.

Ongoing Vatican engagement

In addition to his 2016 meeting with Pope Francis, Maduro has repeatedly sought support from the Vatican to ease US pressure tactics. As recently reported by Zenit, he appealed to Pope Leo XIV for diplomatic mediation to counter US aggression and to ensure the return of Venezuelans taken abroad.

Maduro has also praised the Vatican for the canonization of Venezuela’s first saints, including Jose Gregorio Hernandez Cisneros and Maria del Carmen Rendiles Martinez, calling Pope Francis “a friend and a brother” to the Venezuelan people.