María Corina Machado. Credit: Vente Venezuela.
January 12, 2026 at 6:36 AM ET
Pope Leo XIV met with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the Vatican on Monday, in an audience that was not initially included in the official schedule for the day.
The meeting was added to the pontiff's agenda in the Holy See's 12:00 p.m. news bulletin. The Vatican has not released any details about the audience.
Machado, one of the leading figures of the Venezuelan opposition, has been a prominent voice in denouncing the institutional, economic, and humanitarian crisis facing the country.
The Venezuelan politician, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in December, is also expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump this week.
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As a journalist, Victoria Cardiel has specialized in social and religious news. Since 2013, she has covered the Vatican for various media outlets, including Europa Press and Alfa and Omega, the weekly newspaper of the Archdiocese of Madrid. See full bio
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