All posts tagged: regime

Pope Leo’s delicate task in Equatorial Guinea: Bless the faithful, not the regime

Pope Leo’s delicate task in Equatorial Guinea: Bless the faithful, not the regime

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea (RNS) — Pope Leo XIV arrived in Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday morning (April 21), greeted by cheering crowds and a Catholic Church that sees his visit as both a spiritual embrace and a moment for national reflection. “This visit is like a sign that God has not forgotten His people,” said Malabo Archbishop Juan Nsue Edjang Mayé, ahead of the pope’s arrival. “It brings encouragement not only to Catholics, but to the whole nation, especially in times that call for unity and hope.” The pontiff landed in Malabo after concluding his visit to Angola, marking the final leg of a multicountry African tour that has consistently emphasized peace, accountability and the moral responsibilities of leadership. Observers say the pope’s visit comes at a sensitive moment in Equatorial Guinea, as growing economic pressures and long-standing governance concerns continue to shape daily life for many citizens. The Vatican has indicated that Pope Leo will address these issues during his visit. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the pope is expected to speak about corruption, governance …

The Iranian Regime Doubles Down

The Iranian Regime Doubles Down

Less than two weeks into the American and Israeli bombardment of Iran, the war is both a success and a failure. Militarily, the campaign has effectively degraded the Islamic Republic’s warmaking capacities. But politically, thus far, it has only strengthened the regime’s cohesion. President Trump may have hoped the elimination of the Islamic Republic’s longtime supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would produce an Iranian Delcy Rodríguez—a pragmatic insider who would capitulate to American pressure—but it has instead spawned a budding Iranian Kim Jong Un. Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, will succeed his father, making the Islamic Republic a hereditary dictatorship poised to double down on ideology and repression. Mojtaba inherits one of the most difficult jobs in the world. Reportedly injured and in hiding, he will lead a government that is simultaneously fighting full-blown wars against the United States and Israel and against much of its own population. He survived the missile strike that killed his father, wife, and mother only because he was in an adjacent room. The attack that nearly killed him catapulted him to …