Pope receives Venezuelan president

17 June, 2013 - Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro led a delegation to the Vatican on Monday where he first met Pope Francis and later held talks with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone and Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Cardinal Dominique Mamberti. A Vatican communique said, that during the cordial talks, the Holy See and Venezuela touched upon the social and political situation of the South American nation, after the death of President Hugo Chavez, and other current issues such as poverty and the fight against crime and drug trafficking. They also talked about the historical presence of the Catholic Church in the country and her decisive contribution in the field of charity, healthcare and education, underscoring the need for a constant and sincere dialogue between the bishops’ conference and the state, for the development of the entire nation. They also reviewed the general situation of the region, especially the peace process in Colombia. Pope Francis later received in private audience the Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq, Rowsch Shaways.