Pope Leo XIV made a rare and pointed appeal for greater freedom and improved prison conditions in Equatorial Guinea, urging authorities to safeguard human dignity as he visited the authoritarian Central African nation.
Speaking during a Mass attended by an estimated 100,000 worshippers in Mongomo, the stronghold of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the pontiff called for social justice and urged the oil-rich nation to bridge the gap between the wealthy elite and the poor.
“May there be greater room for freedom and may the dignity of the human person always be safeguarded,” Pope Leo told the congregation, which included President Obiang.
The 70-year-old US-born pontiff also drew attention to the plight of prisoners, in what observers described as an unusually direct criticism of living conditions in the country.
“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.
The Pope was later scheduled to visit inmates at Bata prison, a detention facility long criticized by rights groups over alleged torture, overcrowding and poor sanitation.
A previous US State Department report documented cases of torture and “deplorable sanitary conditions” in Equatorial Guinea’s prisons, while Amnesty International once described detainees in facilities such as Bata as “forgotten people.”
“Since they enter the prison walls, they have neither been seen nor heard from, and their relatives do not know whether they are alive or dead,” Amnesty International said in one report.
The prison visit marked one of the most symbolic moments of the Pope’s African tour, reinforcing his repeated calls for justice and dignity for marginalized communities.
Pope Leo’s comments came during the second day of his visit to Equatorial Guinea, where he has walked a diplomatic tightrope — supporting the Catholic faithful while avoiding overt confrontation with the government of Obiang, Africa’s longest-serving non-monarchical ruler.
Though measured in tone, his remarks on freedom and justice were seen as significant in a country often accused of suppressing dissent and curtailing freedom of expression.
In an earlier address, the Pope urged the country to place itself “in the service of law and justice,” reinforcing broader concerns about governance and human rights.
Rights groups have long criticized the contradiction between the country’s oil wealth and widespread poverty. While hydrocarbons account for nearly half of Equatorial Guinea’s economy and over 90 per cent of exports, much of the wealth is said to remain concentrated among political elites.
According to Human Rights Watch, vast oil revenues have funded “lavish lifestyles” for a small ruling elite, while much of the population remains poor.
Despite the weighty message, Pope Leo received a jubilant welcome at the Mongomo basilica, where fireworks, balloons and cheering crowds greeted his arrival. The Pope toured through supporters in the popemobile amid scenes of celebration.
Following his prison visit, he is also expected to honour victims of the 2021 Bata munitions depot explosions that killed more than 100 people and injured hundreds.
The Equatorial Guinea stop is part of the Pope’s 11-day, 18,000-kilometre African tour, which has also taken him to Algeria, Cameroon and Angola. He is expected to conclude the trip with an open-air Mass in Malabo before returning to Rome.
