The Digest:
Pope Leo XIV has arrived in Equatorial Guinea for the final leg of his African tour, visiting one of the world's most closed-off states. The US-born pontiff follows in the footsteps of John Paul II, who 40 years ago became the first pope to visit the oil-rich country, where 80 percent of the two million population are Catholic. Throughout his African tour, the pope has criticised tyranny and exploitation while promoting peace, shifting to a tougher tone on human rights.
Key Points:
- Equatorial Guinea has been ruled since 1979 by President Teodoro Obiang, the world's longest-serving non-monarch head of state.
- The government is regularly accused of authoritarianism, corruption, and human rights abuses.
- Most opposition figures and independent media are in exile in Spain.
- The pope will visit Mongomo (Obiang's stronghold), Bata (site of a 2021 explosion), and a prison.
- This is the final stop of his 11-day, 18,000-kilometre Africa tour.
Sources: Channels TV (AFP)
