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Pope Francis starts Latin American visit in Ecuador | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Pope Francis is travelling to Ecuador for the start of a seven-day tour of South America, his second visit to the region since becoming pontiff in 2013. | |
His trip will focus on the issue of poverty, the Vatican said. | |
The pontiff will also travel to Bolivia and Paraguay, but not his home country of Argentina. | |
The Vatican said the decision not to visit the continent's larger nations reflected the Pope's interest in the "peripheries". | |
Pope Francis is the first leader of the Roman Catholic Church to come from South America. | |
In 2007, before becoming Pope, he told a gathering of Latin American bishops that they were living in the most unequal part of the world. | In 2007, before becoming Pope, he told a gathering of Latin American bishops that they were living in the most unequal part of the world. |
During his previous visit to Latin America in 2013, he addressed millions on Brazil's Copacabana Beach as part of a Catholic youth festival. | |
Ecuador's left-wing President Rafael Correa called the visit "an honour". | |
The Pope has requested to chew coca leaves while in Bolivia, according to Bolivian Culture Minister Marko Machicao. | The Pope has requested to chew coca leaves while in Bolivia, according to Bolivian Culture Minister Marko Machicao. |
Coca, the raw ingredient for cocaine, has been used in the Andes for thousands of years to combat altitude sickness and as a mild stimulant. | Coca, the raw ingredient for cocaine, has been used in the Andes for thousands of years to combat altitude sickness and as a mild stimulant. |
In September the Pope will travel to Cuba ahead of a trip to the US. | In September the Pope will travel to Cuba ahead of a trip to the US. |
The pontiff is credited with helping bring about last December's diplomatic thaw between the two countries. | The pontiff is credited with helping bring about last December's diplomatic thaw between the two countries. |