▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁Pope ▁Francis . ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁met ▁with ▁the ▁country ' s ▁b ish ops ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁and ▁the ▁Venez uel an ▁b ish ops ' ▁conference ▁president ▁stated , ▁" There ▁is ▁no ▁distance ▁between ▁the ▁epis cop al ▁conference ▁and ▁the ▁Holy ▁See ." ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁ 2 0 ▁former ▁pres idents ▁in ▁Latin ▁America ▁wrote ▁a ▁letter ▁to ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁critic izing ▁his ▁Christmas ▁address ▁regarding ▁the ▁on going ▁Venez uel an ▁crisis ▁for ▁being ▁too ▁simpl istic ▁and ▁for ▁not ▁acknowled ging ▁what ▁they ▁believed ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁causes ▁of ▁the ▁suffering ▁of ▁the ▁vict ims ▁of ▁the ▁crisis . ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁has ▁sought ▁peace ▁in ▁the ▁crisis ▁without ▁pick ing ▁a ▁side . ▁ ▁Pont ific al ▁kn ighth ood ▁for ▁abort ion ▁rights ▁activ ist ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁Dutch ▁politician ▁L ilian ne ▁Pl ou men ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁D ame ▁Commander ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁St . ▁Gregory ▁the ▁Great . ▁Pl ou men , ▁who ▁has ▁been ▁involved ▁in ▁prom oting ▁legisl ation ▁supporting ▁the ▁legal ization ▁of ▁abort ion ▁, ▁stated ▁that ▁she ▁believed ▁the ▁honor ▁was ▁given ▁to ▁her ▁in ▁the ▁context ▁of ▁the ▁Dutch ▁state ▁visit ▁to ▁the ▁V at ican ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁in ▁her ▁capacity ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁Foreign ▁Trade ▁and ▁Development ▁Co operation . ▁Pal oma ▁Gar cia