POPE-LATAM/DEPARTURE Pope heads to South America to champion the poor and the planet

Record ID: 148427

  • Title: POPE-LATAM/DEPARTURE Pope heads to South America to champion the poor and the planet
  • Date: 5th July 2015
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (JULY 5, 2015) (REUTERS) PAPAL CAR ARRIVING ON TARMAC NEXT TO PLANE POPE FRANCIS EXITING CAR AND GREETING DIGNITARIES PHOTOGRAPHER TAKING PICTURES POPE SHAKING HANDS WITH PEOPLE ON TARMAC ITALIAN AND VATICAN FLAGS ON PLANE COCKPIT FRANCIS SHAKING HANDS AND TALKING TO PEOPLE POLICE CAR ON TARMAC FRANCIS WALKING UP TO THE PLANE / WAVING FROM THE TOP / GREETING CA
  • Embargoed: 20th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA24J3U3WV5IDMP84T9BP32XQB5
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Pope Francis left Rome on Sunday (July 5) for his first trip to Spanish-speaking Latin America, a "homecoming" to a continent where he will champion the rights of the poor and of the planet.
    His trip to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay -- three of South America's poorest and smallest countries, is Francis' first abroad since a landmark encyclical urging defence of the environment.
    Francis arrives in the Ecuadorian capital Quito after a 13-hour flight from Rome.
    On Saturday night (July 4), he went to the Basilica of St. Mary Major in the Italian capital to pray for a successful trip.
    He left a bouquet of flowers in the colours of the flags of the three countries.
    Francis visited Brazil for a youth festival in 2013 but that was to substitute for his predecessor Benedict after his sudden resignation.
    Because he chose the three countries himself, Vatican aides say this is the real "homecoming" to his native continent.
    He will not visit his native Argentina until next year.
    His first stop, Ecuador, has for several weeks been hit by anti-government demonstrators who have taken to the streets to protest against tax rises and alleged autocracy in government.
    From Ecuador, Francis moves on to Bolivia, where he is expected to strongly defend the right of indigenous people. In Bolivia, he will also visit the notoriously violent Palmasola prison, a virtual city with its own rules.
    Landlocked Paraguay, the last stop, is notorious for contraband smuggling and illicit financing. It ranks as the second-most corrupt in South American, behind Venezuela, according to non-government organisation Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index.
    While all three countries the pope is visiting are between 82 and 93 percent Catholic, the Church in other parts of Latin America is losing faithful who are leaving to join Protestant evangelical groups.
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