Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Pope Leo Ends Africa Tour With Malabo Mass, Urges Justice in Equatorial Guinea

The finale signaled a Vatican strategy of pairing ministry with pressure for prison reform.

Overview

  • The stadium Mass in Malabo on Thursday closed his 11‑day, four‑country visit, with about 30,000 in attendance.
  • At Bata prison on Wednesday he met inmates in a facility long criticized for overcrowding, poor sanitation and abuse, and inmates later chanted “Libertad” as activists warned recent fixes looked cosmetic.
  • Ahead of the prison stop, 70 rights groups urged him to denounce U.S. deals that sent at least 29 non‑Equatoguinean migrants to Equatorial Guinea, with some still detained in Malabo.
  • He met President Teodoro Obiang and national leaders, then condemned corruption and the exploitation of oil and minerals while urging action to narrow the gap between elites and the poor.
  • Huge crowds marked the visit, including roughly 100,000 at Mongomo on Wednesday, focusing attention on an oil‑rich nation where many still lack basic services under a decades‑long ruler.