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In February 2016, Pope Francis heads to Mexico. His visit is being so hotly anticipated people are illegally selling tickets for his public outings. He will also visit Chiapas state, where a meeting with Zapatistas could be historic, though highly unlikely. Before he set foot in Mexico he had already caused controversy with the government there by saying Mexico's violence and gangs make it like war for many. He will also possibly meet with the families of the 43 missing students from Ayotzinapa, who are furious at the government's failure to find their children or provide concrete answers to the case.
In Ecuador, Francis seemed to endorse President Rafael Correa and his policies, telling him, "my best wishes for the achievement of your mission, that you achieve what you want to for the good of your people.” The pope also said that for Correa's work “serving Ecuador’s people,” he “may always count on the commitment and collaboration of the church.”
In Bolivia, too, the pontiff was greeted with coca leaves and a controversial communist crucifix. He showed appreciation for the socialist policies of President Evo Morales, saying that Bolivia is "taking important steps to include broad sectors in the economic, social and political life of the country.” He preached for solidarity and against exclusion at a large public mass. Importantly, he asked for forgiveness for the church's crimes in Latin America during the Spanish conquest.
In Paraguay, Francis recognized the struggle by the women of the country and pleaded for the end of corruption. In preparation for the visit, Paraguayans built an enormous altar made of corn and held protests to grab the pope's attention. Francis visited impoverished neighborhoods and also met with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community leaders
Francis praised Cubans' courage when he visited the Caribbean island in September 2015 and preached reconcilliation in a service, hinting at his role — explored below — in bringing Cuba together with the United States after over half a century of estrangement. He also urged the United States to end its economic blockade on the island. He met with revolutionary leader and former President Fidel Castro and also commented on Colombia's peace process, as talks have been taking place in Cuba for over three years to reconcile the government with the FARC rebels. Francis also gave a searing speech laying into the ills of capitalism while on the communist island.
President Barack Obama greeted the pope upon his arrival in the U.S., also in September 2015. Francis made some conservative enemies — see below for more — with his speeches there, in which he urged action on climate change and to end the death penalty. In Philadelphia, he urged an audience of immigrant communities to never forget their traditions. He also, controversially, canonized early Catholic settler Friar Junipero Serra, who is seen by some Indigenous communities as complicit in native genocide.
The pope has been called some truly awful names by conservative commentators, especially in the United States, where Francis' messages have been slammed as communist and dangerous. Find out why below.
News that the United States and Cuba would work to restore diplomatic relations took the world by surprise in December 2014. In effect, U.S. President Barack Obama admitted that his country's half century attempt to defeat Cuba had failed. READ MORE
Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero is an icon of social struggle in both his native El Salvador and elsewhere in Latin America. He fought for human rights in the midst of a dictatorship, using his homilies to call for the reconciliation of the Salvadoran people and the end of repression. His work was finally recognized by the Catholic Church when he was beatified by Pope Francis in 2015. Read more here, and by clicking on the photo above.
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