MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Evo: Pope to visit Bolivia in 2015

Evo Morales has faith in the Pope.

With Francis' new role in international affairs, Morales sounded confident Holy See will do its part in feud with Chile, but made no specific mention of it.

 President Evo Morales said during a meeting at the Foreign Ministry Friday in La Paz that Pope Francis will be visiting Bolivia during 2015, but he did not give specific dates.

“Pope Francis will come to Bolivia next year,” Evo was quoted as saying to his ambassadors during a work meeting. “The Pope has committed himself to international issues,” he added in reference to Francis' role in the restoration of full diplomatic ties between the United States and Cuba. “I'm sure the Pope will work with us too on international subjects,” said Morales, who did not mention it explicitly but analysts still agreed he was having in mind his country's Atacama border dispute with Chile.

Morales' administration instituted proceedings before the International Court of Justice in relation to “Chile’s obligation to negotiate in good faith and effectively with Bolivia in order to reach an agreement granting Bolivia a fully sovereign access to the Pacific Ocean” on April 24, 2013.

Bolivia was to be accepted as a full Mercosur member last Wednesday during the bloc's last summit in Parana, Argentina. But objections from Paraguay, now on the verge of being worked out, prevented it from happening. In any case, Bolivia is expected to become a full member of Mercosur within the next six months.

According to diplomatic and religious sources, the Pope is expected in Tarija, a city very close to the border with his native Argentina, in July, on the occasion of the fifth Eucharistic Congress of Bolivia. Other sources did not rule out Santa Cruz de la Sierra as a possible place for the papal visit.