MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Pope Francis will meet President Cristina Fernández for the fifth time, next June

“The new meeting between the president and the Pope reaffirms the continuity of their cordial relations,” Argentine Cult Secretary Guillermo Olivieri said.

Pope Francis and Argentine president Cristina Fernández will meet for the fifth time at the Vatican in June, according to government sources. The head of state will visit the pontiff between June 7 and 9, two months before the PASO primaries and ahead of national elections that are to be held in October. It will be their fifth meeting since Francis was elected and the first one under the administration of Eduardo Valdés, the Argentine Ambassador to the Vatican, appointed in December.

“The new meeting between the president and the Pope reaffirms the continuity of their cordial relations,” Argentine Cult Secretary Guillermo Olivieri said.

In June the Argentine president is scheduled to travel to Europe to attend the Expo Milano, that takes place between May and June and later to the EU/Celac meeting to be held in Brussels on June 10.

Last January Cristina Fernandez had to cancel a programmed visit to the Vatican, because of an ankle injury. Together with her Chilean counterpart Michelle Bachelet they were to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Beagle island and channel peace treaty with the Pope since the Vatican was instrumental in achieving the peace and friendship accord.

The first meeting between Pope Francis and the Argentine president took place on 18 March 2013, five days after the surprise election of Buenos Aires cardinal Jorge Bergoglio as head of the Vatican and one day before the inauguration mass of Francis that convened leaders from all over the world.

On that occasion during a private meeting Cristina Fernandez requested the Pope to act as an 'intermediary' in having Britain agree to sit down and negotiate with Argentina, the Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty.

The second meeting took place on 28 July 2013, when the Pope visited Brazil for the World Youth Day, and South American leaders gathered in Rio do Janeiro. The third time Cristina and Francis met was on 17 March 2014, at the Vatican where they talked privately for over three hours. The Argentine president attended with an orthopedic boot because of a sprained ankle.

The last time was on 20 September last year, at Pope Francis Santa Marta guesthouse when they shared lunch and later mingled with political youth groups specially invited to participate at the Vatican celebration.

Pope Francis has been very supportive of president Cristina Fernandez despite all the political problems in Argentina insisting that the country must keep to the Constitution and respect institutions procedures and timetables. “Don't touch Cristina”, allegedly has been the message to all Argentine visitors from the political system visiting him at the Vatican.

Francis has also communicated that during this year he will not receive any political leaders from Argentina, because of the coming primaries and elections, and wants to be fair with all contestants: no pictures with the pope.