news 18 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Pope Leo XIV Condemns Resource Exploitation by Despots in Angola Visit
During his stop in oil-rich Angola on a four-country Africa tour, Pope Leo XIV criticized despots and tyrants for plundering natural resources while failing to deliver promised prosperity, causing widespread suffering. He urged leaders to prioritize people over corporate gains amid the nation's deep poverty. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/pope-leo-in-angola-decries-despots-who-exploit-resources-make-false-promises-5428542
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Luanda, Angola, on Saturday as the third leg of his extensive four-country tour across Africa. In a pointed address to President João Lourenço and other officials, he denounced the ‘logic of extractivism’ that allows powerful interests to seize the nation’s oil, diamonds, and emerging minerals.
The pontiff highlighted how such exploitation has led to immense suffering, deaths, and environmental damage. He accused despots of making empty promises of wealth, trapping people in a cycle of poverty despite Angola’s resource riches. Over 30% of the country’s 36.6 million residents live below $2.15 a day, per World Bank data.
Leo called for breaking free from elite-imposed ‘slavery,’ pushing leaders to serve all citizens rather than corporate agendas. ‘History will vindicate you,’ he assured those willing to challenge the status quo.
This outspoken tone marks a shift for the Chicago-born pope, who has ramped up critiques of war and inequality on the 10-day trip spanning 18,000 km. En route from Cameroon, he downplayed tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump, clarifying prior ‘tyrant’ remarks were not aimed at him.
Earlier in Yaoundé, Leo led a massive farewell Mass for an estimated 200,000 attendees, encouraging hope amid ongoing conflicts. Crowds in Cameroon showed fervent support, with 120,000 at a prior Douala event.
More than half of Angolans are Catholic, amplifying the pope’s message in the former Portuguese colony.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)