Cuba invites Pope Leo XIV to visit the island

The Cuban government has extended an invitation to Pope Leo XIV to visit Cuba, according to the Cuban ambassador to the Holy See, Leyde Ernesto Rodríguez Hernández. The diplomat conveyed the invitation during a meeting with journalists in the Vatican.

During the announcement, Rodríguez Hernández requested the Catholic Church's support for Cuba's campaign against the United States embargo, which he described as “cruel,” “illegal,” and “genocidal.” The request comes ahead of a United Nations General Assembly vote regarding the embargo scheduled for October 27 and 28.

The invitation follows previous outreach from President Miguel Díaz-Canel and occurs amidst heightened tensions between Havana and Washington, as well as an ongoing economic and energy crisis in Cuba. While the ambassador noted the importance of Vatican-Cuba relations, the Holy See has not yet responded to the invitation, and no dates have been proposed. The Pope is currently recovering from a recent lung surgery.