ALERT: In Angola, Pope Leo XIV denounces “catastrophes” linked to the exploitation of resources
In a major development, the following story has emerged from the international scene.
Pope Leo The Pope, the target at the start of his tour on Monday of virulent diatribes from the American president, also regretted that his recent speeches in Africa were interpreted as a response to Donald Trump, assuring that “debating again” with him was “not in his interest”. He took as an example a speech “written two weeks ago” – “well before” the criticisms of the American president – and delivered in Cameroon “two days ago”, in which he denounced a world “being ravaged by a handful of tyrants”. Also read: Donald Trump, the pope and Jesus Christ: religious hiccups that can be costly The American pontiff arrived on Saturday afternoon in Angola, the third stop of his eleven-day marathon tour of Africa, where he treated himself to a walkabout in a popemobile upon his arrival, greeting the faithful gathered along his route, in the humid heat of the capital. In his first speech, delivered to the authorities and civil society, he denounced the “logic of exploitation” of the natural resources abundant in the countries of the region. “I mentioned the material wealth that powerful interests get their hands on, including in your country. How much suffering, how many deaths, how many social and environmental disasters are caused by this logic of exploitation!”, he said. “Don’t be afraid of dissent” He also urged the country’s authorities to believe in the diversity of its wealth, in a country dominated by the same ruling party, the MPLA, since independence in 1975 and where those under 24 make up two-thirds of the population. “Don’t be afraid of dissent, don’t stifle the visions of young people and the dreams of elders,” he said. Earlier, the American pope concluded a three-day visit to Cameroon with an open-air mass at Yaoundé airport in front of 200,000 faithful. After John Paul II (1978-2005) in 1992 and Benedict XVI (2005-2013) in 2009, Leo XIV is the third pontiff to visit Angola where he is expected to once again move huge crowds until his departure Tuesday morning. Elected in May 2025, the head of the Catholic Church, until now more discreet and measured than his Argentine predecessor Francis (2013-2025), has emerged in recent days from his restraint to adopt a more assertive style. See also Leo XIV: the language of audacity? Some 44% of the population, or around 15 million Angolans, identify as Catholic, according to a 2024 census in the country, which emerged bloodless in 2002 from a deadly civil war unleashed in the wake of independence. “It’s as if God is very close to us, so we can only welcome him with open arms. Africa thanks, Angola thanks, it has an immense meaning that I don’t know how to describe,” enthuses Helena Maria Miguel, a 40-year-old human resources manager. Slayer of social injustices Despite the hyper dependence of its economy on variations in oil prices and rampant corruption which ended up catching up with the family of former president José Eduardo dos Santos (1979-2017), the country is pursuing a policy of investment in infrastructure. It is thus home to the Lobito corridor regional project, named after an Angolan port on the Atlantic coast, through which minerals extracted from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia must ultimately pass, transported by rail. In Cameroon, Leo Also read: Cameroon, Angola, Equatorial Guinea: the challenges of Leo Sunday morning, Leo XIV must celebrate a giant open-air mass on the outskirts of the capital. He will then travel to the village of Muxima, about 130 kilometers southeast of Luanda, where a 16th-century church has established itself as one of the most important pilgrimage sites in southern Africa. The leader of the 1.4 billion Catholics will then fly to Equatorial Guinea, the final stage of an 18,000 km journey that began in Algeria on Monday. With AFP
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