Pope Leo XIV Urges Expanded Personal Freedom
Speaking on the second day of his visit to the oil-rich nation, the pontiff addressed a large outdoor mass attended by an estimated 100,000 people in Mongomo, a stronghold of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo near the Gabonese border. The president, who has been in power since 1979, was also present.
The Pope called for stronger protections of human dignity and highlighted the need to reduce inequality in a country where much of the population continues to live in poverty despite substantial natural resource wealth.
He stated, “May there be greater room for freedom and may the dignity of the human person always be safeguarded,” while also drawing attention to vulnerable groups, including those struggling financially and individuals in detention.
“My thoughts go to the poorest, to families experiencing difficulty and to prisoners who are often forced to live in troubling hygienic and sanitary conditions,” he said during the mass.
Following the public ceremony, the Pope was scheduled to visit a prison in Bata, the country’s main commercial city. The facility has previously been associated with poor conditions and allegations of mistreatment.
International rights reports have long raised concerns about Equatorial Guinea’s prison system, including overcrowding, poor sanitation, and allegations of abuse. Monitoring groups have also described detainees as being effectively cut off from contact with the outside world, with families often left uncertain about their fate.
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