“The Pope has always reserved for himself and reserves the possibility” to offer the mediation of the Vatican’s diplomacy to Venezuela, if that corresponds to the will of the two sides,” said the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Alessandro Gisotti.
It has to do with a note published this February 7, 2019 to evaluate “the conditions to follow this path.”
Two days before, during his press conference on his return from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, the Holy Father recalled Venezuela’s situation to journalists: “I learnt before the trip that a letter had arrived from Maduro in the diplomatic pouch. I haven’t read it yet. We’ll see what it’s possible to do. However, for a mediation to be possible, the will of the two sides is necessary; the two sides must ask for it.”
“The Holy See was present in Venezuela at the moment of the dialogue when (the former Spanish Prime Minister) Zapatero was there and Monsignor Tscherrig, and then it was Monsignor Celli who continued. And from that, nothing really happened, smoke, nothing. Now I’m going to look at this letter; I’ll see what can be done, but on the condition that the two sides ask for it,” he added, before affirming: “I’m always willing.”
ZENIT was on the papal flight to the United Arab Emirates.
The situation in the country hasn’t ceased to degrade, since the taking of the oath of Juan Guaido, President of the Parliament and opponent of Nicolas Maduro. Guaido proclaimed himself President of the country on January 23: in sign of protest after the inauguration of President Maduro’s second term on January 10, following months of social, political and humanitarian crisis.
