Pope Leo XIV continued his visit to Equatorial Guinea, where he visited a controversial prison due to its deteriorating conditions. This visit comes in the context of his calls to "increase areas of freedom" and "respect for the rights of every citizen" in a country that is considered one of the most closed countries on the continent.

Published on: 04/22/2026 - 22:28 Last updated: 04/22/2026 - 22:36

Pope Leo

In a festive atmosphere mixing traditional songs and dances, the American Pope appealed to "respect for the rights of every citizen, every family, and every social group," echoing the words of Pope John Paul II (1978-2005) during his 1982 visit to this Spanish-speaking country with a population of two million, and famous for the tyranny of its authorities and their violations of freedoms.

Before that, Leon XIV visited Bata Prison (West) and made a rare statement condemning the living conditions of the prisoners.

The Pope called on Wednesday to "increase areas of freedom" in Equatorial Guinea, expressing a rare condemnation of the living conditions of prisoners.

In the presence of the country's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, he urged "to expand the scope of freedoms and always preserve human dignity."

“I think about the prisoners, who are often forced to live in alarming sanitary and hygiene conditions,” he said, while the country’s prisons are criticized for their deteriorating conditions.

Although these statements were made in a diplomatic tone, they constitute a rare denunciation in a country criticized for its violations of freedom of expression.

In the prison courtyard, with its walls freshly painted pink and covered with barbed wire, prisoners sang and danced in the pouring rain, lined up opposite the Pope.

“The administration of justice aims to protect society, but to be effective, it must always focus on the dignity and potential of each person,” he told 600 prisoners, including about thirty women.

The prisoners, most of whom were young, wore orange or khaki green clothes, and all had shaved heads and wore plastic sandals.

The red carpet, stage, Vatican flags and loudspeakers broadcasting festive music reflected the authorities' efforts to present the best possible image of this prison, despite strong criticism from non-governmental organizations regarding disturbing detention conditions.

In a report issued in 2023, the US State Department mentioned cases of torture, severe overcrowding, and poor sanitary conditions in Equatorial Guinean prisons.

However, his tone was more balanced than in his previous stations, as he criticized the “tyrants” who were plundering the world, condemned the “exploitation” practiced by the rich and powerful, and clashed with Donald Trump after the American president objected to the first American Pope’s call to end the war in the Middle East.

mass

The Pope began the tenth day of his African tour in the city of Mongomo, the stronghold of the ruling family near the border with Gabon, by holding a mass attended by about 100,000 people.

He received a huge reception at Mongomo Cathedral, which included a festive atmosphere with the launching of fireworks and balloons, before he toured among the crowds on board the papal car.

Since the beginning of his 11-day tour in four African countries, the Pope has been attending masses, giving speeches, traveling by air, meeting people, attending celebrations, and mingling with crowds in the stifling tropical heat.

In the last eleven days of his tour, during which he will have crossed 18,000 kilometers in Africa, the Pope will lead a massive mass on Thursday at the Malabo Stadium and then return to Rome.

France 24/AFP

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