Pope Francis is ready to visit
Venezuela but he needs to be invited first, the apostolic nuncio
in Caracas monsignor Aldo Giordano said Thursday.
"The pope is very familiar with the current situation in
Venezuela and he is ready to visit the country, but he must be
invited first," Monsignor Giordano said.
The South American country is suffering from major economic
hardship and a permanent standoff between the government led by
Nicolas Maduro and the national assembly controlled by the
opposition.
Giordano told the local press he had spoken to Pope Francis
recently.
"I told him of the Venezuelan people's desire that his
visit become a reality," he is reported to have said.
"We must all pray that this might happen as soon as
possible," Giordano added.
On March 30 the Venezuelan parliament approved unanimously
a declaration in support of the appeal made by the pope in his
Easter Sunday Urbi et Orbi message for peace and dialogue in the
country.
A group of human rights activists chained themselves
outside the nunciature in Caracas recently, giving Giordano a
letter for Pope Francis asking him to mediate with the
government.
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