Pope Francis leaves after a mass at Church Cathedral Basilica Santa Maria La Antigua during World Youth Day in Panama City, Panama January 26, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso

PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis, in his first remarks on the Venezuelan crisis, called on Sunday for a just and peaceful solution that respects human rights.

“Faced with the grave situation it is going through, I ask the Lord that a just and peaceful solution is sought and achieved in order to overcome the crisis, respecting human rights (and) the good of all the people of the country,” he said. Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro rejected an international ultimatum to call elections within eight days and said opposition leader Juan Guaido violated the constitution by declaring himself interim leader.