BUENOS AIRES.- The president of Argentina, Javier Mileywrote a letter to Pope Francisco in which he officially invites him to visit the country and affirms that his arrival will help Argentines overcome their “confrontations” and defends the controversial reforms undertaken by his government with the alleged purpose of straightening out the economy.
“You know well that you do not need an invitation to come to the Argentina. At the risk of saying the unnecessary, I invite you to visit our beloved Homeland, according to the dates and places that are indicated to us, keeping in mind the general desire of our cities, provinces and towns to have your presence and transmit to you their filial affection. , indicates the letter released by the Office of President Javier Milei, which will be sent to the pontiff in the next few hours.
The two-page letter was published on the official media account, along with a photo in which the president is seen signing it while being watched by his sister, the general secretary of the Presidency, Karina Milei.
“I consider that your trip will bring fruits of pacification and brotherhood of all Argentines… it will give us the collective strength necessary to preserve our peace, and work for the prosperity and aggrandizement of our beloved Argentine Republic,” the letter adds.
Since he began his pontificate in 2013, Francis has never returned to his native country. He recently expressed in interviews his desire to be able to do so in 2024.
Differences
The Milei government had already expressed interest in the Pope traveling to his native country shortly after coming to power and closing the controversy generated by the disqualifications that, in the stage prior to the presidential elections, directed by the then candidate for leader religious.
The Argentine Episcopal Conference sent an invitation to Francisco in November.
Milei had called Francisco a “representative of evil on Earth” when, about two years ago, he was interviewed on a television program, and then questioned his supposed affinity for communism and “bloody dictators” of Latin America in statements made during the race for The presidency. In one of the debates on television before the elections, Milei apologized for the insults he uttered against the pontiff.
The Pope, who never publicly responded to those comments, contacted the president-elect by telephone to congratulate him on his victory in the November runoff.
The president, a libertarian economist with hardly any political experience, recalled in his letter the “wise advice” and “wishes of courage” that he then received from Pope Francis and noted that they strengthened his “conviction about the urgency of transforming the reality that our country is going through.” to ensure peace and prosperity, through the social and political reforms that are so necessary.”
“Keeping in mind your advice to have the necessary wisdom and courage, in my first weeks in government I have proceeded to propose a series of government measures aimed at transforming the situation that the Argentine Republic has suffered for decades,” said the also leader of La Freedom Advances.
He noted that his government is aware of “that these decisions can deepen inequalities”, so the priority will be to “protect” the “most vulnerable” and in this regard he thanked “the collaboration of the Catholic Church, whose action in the social field is priceless.” Poverty affects more than 40% of the population in Argentina, of about 46 million inhabitants.
Some measures taken include layoffs in the public sector and a sharp reduction in budget items to reduce the deficit and tackle inflation, which is heading towards 200% annually.
The president is trying to get Congress – where his party is the third force – to approve a broad decree that modifies dozens of laws deregulating the economy and also a mega-legislative project that contemplates profound reforms in “economic, financial, fiscal, pension, security, defense, tariff, energy, health, administrative and social”.
This latest initiative ignited a heated debate among deputies who have begun to analyze it in various legislative commissions.
Source: With information from AP
