Pope visits prison in Africa and hears cries of ‘freedom’: Equatorial Guinea reached an agreement with Trump to receive deported immigrants

Pope Leo XIV receives a cross from an inmate during a visit to Bata prison, in the city of Bata, Equatorial Guinea. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane Pope Leo the 14th’s four-nation tour of Africa came to a dramatic end on Wednesday (22), with the pontiff braving a fierce storm to greet crowds in Equatorial Guinea, after speaking at a prison where inmates were crying out for freedom. 📱Download the g1 app to see news in real time and for free Widely ridiculed as one of the most repressive countries in the region, Spanish-speaking Equatorial Guinea has been governed since 1979 by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the oldest president in the world. The country has maintained warm ties with the US, in part due to its oil riches. Leo, the first U.S. pope to debut a vigorous new style of speech in Africa, began the day by denouncing wealth inequality during a Mass at Central Africa’s largest church, situated in the town of Mongomo, on the edge of the Congo Basin rainforest. Pope arrives in Equatorial Guinea He then visited a prison in the city of Bata, a facility where inmates are regularly held for years without access to lawyers, according to Amnesty International. Leão heard several testimonies from prisoners who gathered in a courtyard inside the facility. As he was making his comments, it began to rain, but the inmates remained outside. “FREEDOM, FREEDOM!” The pope called for “every effort” to be made to allow inmates the opportunity to study and work during their confinement. As he was leaving, and while the Minister of Justice, Reginaldo Biyogo Mba Ndong Anguesomo, remained on stage, the prisoners began jumping in the rain and shouting: “Freedom, freedom!” SEE MORE: Pope says humanity’s future could be compromised by wars Pope condemns injustice and exploitation Equatorial Guinea has long rejected accusations of human rights abuses. Before Leão spoke at Bata prison, Biyogo said the country treats prisoners fairly, in accordance with UN standards. “We are committed to guaranteeing human rights, fundamental rights and citizenship,” he said. Last year, Obiang’s government reached a deal with the Trump administration to accept deportees from other countries. Activists hoped Leão would draw attention to deportees sent from the US to Equatorial Guinea. A group of 70 NGOs published an open letter on Monday (20) asking Leão to press for “fair, humane and legal treatment” of deportees, saying they were being pressured to return to their countries of origin. Leão, who drew the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump after becoming more outspoken against war and despotism, has not publicly addressed the plight of deportees in Equatorial Guinea or Cameroon, the first stop on his tour and another receiving country.

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