Sebastian Fest Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Updated Monday, February 12, 2024-14:06
Politics Milei suffers a hard blow: the 'omnibus law' approved last week returns to the beginning of the process
Vatican Milei and the Pope seal peace between them with a strong hug
The Argentine president, Javier Milei, completed this Monday an astonishing reconciliation with Pope Francis, whom until recently he defined as
"the evil one on Earth"
and "friend of dictators."
"I explained everything to him, he understood me perfectly,"
Clarín
quoted Milei after the 70-minute meeting at the Vatican.
That Milei spent 70 minutes meeting with Francisco is quite a fact: neither
Cristina Kirchner
, nor
Mauricio Macri
, nor
Alberto Fernández
ever had so much time in meetings with their compatriot, who next month will celebrate 11 years on the throne of San Pedro.
Francisco was especially interested in channeling the relationship with the ultra-liberal, surprising winner of the 2023 elections. Milei, in turn, made a notable turn: on Sunday, during the
canonization of Mama Antula
, he dedicated a strong and unexpected hug to Sumo Pontiff, 87 years old, and this Monday he seemed more relaxed. Sunday's dialogue, caught on camera, was astonishing.
- "You cut your hair!" said the Pope.
- "I got busy. Can I give you a kiss?"
- "Yes, son, yes!"
Milei then pounced on the Pope, sitting in a wheelchair.
"It's a pleasure to see you and thank you for coming,
you who are half (Jewish)
, may God bless you," added the head of the Catholic Church.
Then, the Pope greeted Chancellor
Diana Mondino
, manager of reconciliation, with a big smile and complicit gestures. MIlei, attentive, pointed out that it was necessary to have "a lot of wrist, given the roughness of the other side."
"God is greater, pray for me, I pray for you," the Pope reacted.
Although no one subsequently explained the phrase, it is understood, from the tone between joking and self-critical in which Milei said it, that the Argentine president was referring to himself and his
harsh attacks on the Pope
.
This Monday, the audience was "very good, very friendly," according to Vatican sources told
La Nación
.
"The man who is moved and humble to the point of submission before religious symbols and authorities is the same one who, just minutes away, emits rays and diatribes through his eyes and mouth against anyone he considers a traitor, enemy or infidel," he noted in the same document. newspaper analyst Claudio Jacquelin.
According to several Argentine media, Milei presented his
government plan
in detail to the Pope , and focused on the new food distribution system for the poorest sectors of society, which is still not working correctly. The 53-year-old president also reiterated his
invitation for Francis to visit Argentina
, a country he has not visited since he was elected Pope in 2013. The visit could happen in the second half of this year.
Social and political crisis
"Throughout the talk, Milei and the Pope addressed a wide range of topics: the economic program, the social crisis facing Argentina and the climate of political tension that the country is going through," said
Clarín
.
Milei later met with Francis' number two, Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, and with the
Vatican
Chancellor , British Archbishop
Paul Gallagher
. The Argentine president was scheduled to meet this afternoon with the Italian president,
Sergio Mattarella
, and the prime minister,
Giorgia Meloini
.
In an official statement, the Vatican presented the meeting in a very positive way: "During the cordial conversations at the Secretariat of State, satisfaction was expressed for the good relations between the Holy See and the Argentine Republic and the desire to strengthen them even further. A "Next, they focused on the new Government's program to confront the economic crisis and addressed various international issues, particularly current conflicts and the nations'
commitment to peace
."
Milei gave several gifts to the Pope: a folder with a copy of the handwritten letter from Chancellor
José María Gutiérrez
accrediting Juan Bautista Alberdi as representative in Europe in 1854, a painting with the commemorative postcard of Mama Antula that the Argentine Post Office distributed on the occasion of his beatification and
dulce de leche alfajores and lemon cookies
, Francisco's favorites.