This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/12/world/americas/as-latin-tour-nears-end-pope-travels-to-paraguay.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
As Latin Tour Nears End, Pope Travels to Paraguay As Latin Tour Nears End, Pope Travels to Paraguay
(34 minutes later)
ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay — Pope Francis on Saturday highlighted two crucial periods in Paraguay’s history as a way to emphasize the importance of resilience in one of Latin America’s poorest countries.ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay — Pope Francis on Saturday highlighted two crucial periods in Paraguay’s history as a way to emphasize the importance of resilience in one of Latin America’s poorest countries.
The pope, speaking at the Sanctuary of Caacupé, near Asunción, the capital, pointed to a 19th-century war that left about 90 percent of the country’s male population dead and the creation in the 17th and 18th centuries of Jesuit settlements for indigenous peoples, known as reductions.The pope, speaking at the Sanctuary of Caacupé, near Asunción, the capital, pointed to a 19th-century war that left about 90 percent of the country’s male population dead and the creation in the 17th and 18th centuries of Jesuit settlements for indigenous peoples, known as reductions.
“Then and now, you found the strength not to let this land lose its bearings,” Francis said, praising the Paraguayan women who picked up the pieces in the aftermath of the catastrophic Triple Alliance War from 1865 to 1870, which pitted Paraguay against three of its neighbors: Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.“Then and now, you found the strength not to let this land lose its bearings,” Francis said, praising the Paraguayan women who picked up the pieces in the aftermath of the catastrophic Triple Alliance War from 1865 to 1870, which pitted Paraguay against three of its neighbors: Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.
Meeting with a large group of social activists, including indigenous leaders and a founder a prominent gay rights organization, Francis, an Argentine Jesuit who is on the last leg of a trip that has taken him to Ecuador and Bolivia, also spoke glowingly of the Jesuit reductions, communities depicted in the 1986 film “The Mission,” where Indians largely managed to avoid enslavement before the Jesuits’ expulsion in 1767. Meeting with a large group of social activists, including indigenous leaders and a founder of a prominent gay rights organization, Francis, an Argentine Jesuit who is on the last leg of a trip that has taken him to Ecuador and Bolivia, also spoke glowingly of the Jesuit reductions, communities depicted in the 1986 film “The Mission,” where Indians largely managed to avoid enslavement before the Jesuits’ expulsion in 1767.
During his tour, his first to Spanish-speaking Latin America since becoming pope in 2013, Francis has delivered a historic apology for the complicity of the Roman Catholic Church in the oppression of Latin Americans during the colonial era, while also criticizing the inequality and excesses of global capitalism.During his tour, his first to Spanish-speaking Latin America since becoming pope in 2013, Francis has delivered a historic apology for the complicity of the Roman Catholic Church in the oppression of Latin Americans during the colonial era, while also criticizing the inequality and excesses of global capitalism.
He seemed to ease up on that theme on Saturday, emphasizing that countries needed “economic growth and the creation of wealth.” But with an audience that included Horacio Cartes, Paraguay’s president and one of the country’s richest men, Francis also criticized an economic model that “sacrifices human lives at the altar of money and profits.”He seemed to ease up on that theme on Saturday, emphasizing that countries needed “economic growth and the creation of wealth.” But with an audience that included Horacio Cartes, Paraguay’s president and one of the country’s richest men, Francis also criticized an economic model that “sacrifices human lives at the altar of money and profits.”
Going further while acknowledging politely that politicians were in the crowd, Francis criticized corruption, a delicate issue in Paraguay, a landlocked country that has grappled with a reputation for being a smugglers’ paradise. Going off script, Francis bluntly called corruption “the gangrene of the people.”Going further while acknowledging politely that politicians were in the crowd, Francis criticized corruption, a delicate issue in Paraguay, a landlocked country that has grappled with a reputation for being a smugglers’ paradise. Going off script, Francis bluntly called corruption “the gangrene of the people.”
“This is the man with social vision we had been waiting for,” said Mario Casartelli, a prominent political commentator and cartoonist.“This is the man with social vision we had been waiting for,” said Mario Casartelli, a prominent political commentator and cartoonist.
Francis had already urged Paraguay to combat corruption and drug trafficking after his arrival on Friday. Paraguay is an important transshipment point in the cocaine trade and ranks among Latin America’s largest marijuana producers, illegally supplying much of its crop to neighboring countries.Francis had already urged Paraguay to combat corruption and drug trafficking after his arrival on Friday. Paraguay is an important transshipment point in the cocaine trade and ranks among Latin America’s largest marijuana producers, illegally supplying much of its crop to neighboring countries.
Still, some here pointed out the difficulty of preventing even the pope from coming into contact with people suspected of having ties with the drug trade during his appearances in Paraguay.Still, some here pointed out the difficulty of preventing even the pope from coming into contact with people suspected of having ties with the drug trade during his appearances in Paraguay.
At one point after Francis’s arrival here on Friday, he was embraced by Cristina Villalba, a powerful legislator, whom the Paraguayan newspaper ABC Color describes as a protector of drug traffickers in northern Paraguay. Pablo Medina, a journalist for ABC Color, was fatally shot in 2014 after reporting on the drug trade in the region where Ms. Villalba holds sway.At one point after Francis’s arrival here on Friday, he was embraced by Cristina Villalba, a powerful legislator, whom the Paraguayan newspaper ABC Color describes as a protector of drug traffickers in northern Paraguay. Pablo Medina, a journalist for ABC Color, was fatally shot in 2014 after reporting on the drug trade in the region where Ms. Villalba holds sway.