Pope Leo XIV on Sunday said Venezuelans' welfare should prevail after the toppling of President Nicolas Maduro in a US operation and said the country's sovereignty should be guaranteed.

Following his Angelus prayer in St Peter's Square, the first US pope told the crowd that "the welfare of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail over all other considerations and lead to overcoming violence and embarking on paths of justice and peace, guaranteeing the sovereignty of the country.”

Leo's comments came a day after US special forces captured Maduro in Caracas, with US President Donald Trump declaring that Washington would "run" Venezuela and tap its oil reserves. (AFP)