By Ayomide Otitoju
Pope Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday called for expanded civic freedoms and improved living conditions in Equatorial Guinea, while issuing a rare public appeal on the treatment of prisoners during a visit to one of the country’s detention facilities.
The pontiff made the remarks during the second day of his visit to the oil-rich Central African nation, speaking at a large mass in Mongomo, a stronghold of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has ruled since 1979.
Addressing an estimated 100,000 worshippers, including the president, the pope urged authorities to bridge the gap between the privileged and the poor, and to safeguard human dignity.
“May there be greater room for freedom and may the dignity of the human person always be safeguarded,” he said, also drawing attention to prisoners and families facing hardship.
The comments, delivered in diplomatic language, represent one of the most direct papal references to conditions in the country, which has long faced criticism over restrictions on free expression and civil liberties.
Pope Leo XIV was also scheduled to visit a prison in Bata, the country’s economic capital, where inmates are reportedly held in overcrowded and harsh conditions. International rights organisations, including the US State Department and Amnesty International, have previously documented allegations of torture, poor sanitation, and unfair trials in the country’s prison system.
During his visit, the pope was welcomed in Mongomo with celebrations, including fireworks, balloons, and a papal procession through cheering crowds.
His trip comes amid efforts to balance support for the country’s Catholic majority with a careful diplomatic stance toward a government frequently accused of authoritarian practices.
Following the prison visit, he is expected to honour victims of a 2021 explosion in Bata that killed more than 100 people and injured hundreds after a military depot fire triggered a series of blasts.
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday after stops in Algeria, Cameroon, and Angola, as part of an 11-day African tour covering about 18,000 kilometres. He is expected to conclude the trip on Thursday with a large open-air mass in Malabo before returning to Rome.
