Pope Leo calls for Venezuela to remain an independent country

By Joshua McElwee

VATICAN CITY, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Pope Leo called for Venezuela to remain an independent nation and said he was following developments after the United States' toppling of President Nicolas Maduro with a "soul full of concern" on Sunday.

Leo, the first American pope, also called for respect for human rights and the rule of law "as enshrined" in Venezuela's constitution.

"We must not delay in overcoming violence and embarking on paths of justice and peace, while guaranteeing the country's sovereignty," the pope told pilgrims in St. Peter's Square during his Sunday prayer.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said the U.S. would take control of oil-rich Venezuela after ordering a raid to capture Maduro, who is currently being held in a New York detention center awaiting drug charges.

Leo, who has criticized some of Trump's right-wing policies, in December had urged the U.S. president not to oust Maduro using military force.

"The good of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail over every other consideration," said the pontiff.

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Valentina Za and Elaine Hardcastle)