CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Monday that he has asked Pope Leo XIII to help maintain peace in the South American country.
Maduro’s comments come as the US military continues Suspect suspected of transporting drugs in waters off the coast of Venezuela President Donald Trump declared “Armed conflict” with cartels. Maduro said he asked for Leo’s help in a letter.
“As I said in the letter I sent him, Pope Leo has great faith in helping protect Venezuela and helping it achieve peace and stability,” Maduro said on his weekly show on state television.
Maduro did not provide details of the letter. His government’s press office did not immediately respond to a request for a copy of the document.
US military is carrying four deadly strikes In the Caribbean since last month. The latest one killed four people on Friday.
The Trump administration has told lawmakers it treats drug traffickers as illegal combatants and that military force is needed to fight them. Presidential War Power Assertion Sets the Stage for Expanded Action and Rise Questions about how far the government will go without it Sign-off from Congress.
Maduro has repeatedly said the US military’s actions are designed to oust him.