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18/09/2014 | Pope turns on President Kirchner of Argentina

James Hider

Pope Francis has expressed concern about the state of democracy in Argentina with comments likely to infuriate President Kirchner days before their meeting this weekend in Rome.

 

“The Pope is worried about governability, about a healthy democracy,” said Guillermo Karcher, a close aide to the former cardinal of Buenos Aires.

“He’s Argentine, he’s lived what we’ve all lived in our country’s recent history. And it seems to me that it’s urgent to keep an eye on this democratic process, because it’s good for all of us,” said Monsignor Karcher, an Argentine.

The Pope has a fractious relationship with Mrs Kirchner dating to when he was Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio and a critic of Argentina’s social problems. She was forced to welcome him when he became the first Latin American head of the Roman Catholic Church last year.

Mrs Kirchner is a left-wing leader whose two-term rule has polarised her country and recent polls show her popularity is at an all-time low.

Mrs Kirchner had hoped the Pope would make Argentina his first foreign destination after taking office, which could have given her a boost in the congressional elections. But he went to neighbouring Brazil and she suffered an electoral setback that dashed her hopes of amending the constitution to allow her a third term.

However, a papal visit may be under discussion when the Pope and Mrs Kirchner hold a working lunch at the Vatican on Saturday. Monsignor Karcher said that 2016, when Argentina celebrates 200 years of independence from Spain, might be a “proper date”.

The Times (Reino Unido)

 



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