The Argentines dawned on Monday with the sad news that Pope Francis, exarzobispo of Buenos Aires, He died in the Vatican at 88 after fighting for months against bilateral pneumonia.
Born in Buenos Aires Like Jorge Bergoglio in 1936, of Italian immigrant parents, Francisco was the first Latin American Pope.
Many in his country regretted that he never returned as a pontiff, but he received praise for his focus on the poor.
“With deep pain I find out this sad morning that Pope Francis, Jorge Bergoglio, died today and is already resting in peace. Despite differences that are minor today, having been able to know him in his goodness and wisdom was a true honor for me, “said Argentine ultraliberal president, Javier Milei, in a message on the social network X.
Milei, an eccentric economist in favor of the free market, had previously faced the Pope, criticizing him as a socialist and even calling him the “representative of the evil on earth”although he had bridges with the Vatican once he assumed the position.
The presidency of Argentina praised the approach of Pope Francis in the interreligious dialogue, The construction of spirituality among young people and their initiatives to cut costs in the Vatican, something in which it coincides with the “chainsaw” austerity measures of Milei.
“As president, as Argentine and, fundamentally, as a man of faith, dismissal to the Holy Father and accompany all who today we find this sad news,” Milei added in its publication in X, which accompanied Francisco raising an Argentine flag.
The majority of Argentines just learned in the early morning of the news while they went to work. A Mass for Francisco is expected at 08:30 local time (1130 GMT) in the Cathedral of Buenos Aires.
“It’s a shame because he fought for a lot of rights,” Julia Castro said, a 42 -year -old employee in the emblematic Obelisk of Buenos Aires. “I can’t believe it,” he added.
For his part, Nicolás Córdoba, Another Argentine who had just learned about Francisco’s death, said “is going to hurt people in the soul.”
“It hurts crazy, it hurts a lot because I remember more than anything’s words in favor of bisexuals and homosexuals and literally hurts me,” he added.
