Left-wing regimes pose a moral challenge for Pope Francis

What about the Vatican? Considering that this is an overwhelmingly Catholic country where the Holy See has strong connections (its secretary of state Pietro Parolin was serving there till 2013) and that Mr López himself is Catholic, people might have expected Pope Francis or at least a senior Vatican spokesman to issue an instant condemnation of the verdict. But for better or worse, that is not the current papacy's way; it prefers to make its feelings known more discreetly, and to leave things to local bishops. The Vatican and its representatives have certainly been watching Venezuela in recent days. Archbishop Roberto Luckert León, one of the country's most outspoken hierarchs, has roundly condemned President Nicolás Maduro for expelling thousands of Colombians from the country. The pope, on a more emollient note and in keeping with his habit of delegating to local prelates, welcomed the fact that bishops from the two countries were conferring on how to mitigate a looming humanitarian crisis. More…