MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Argentine government disappointed with Pope Francis involvement in local politics
“The pope has not taken the necessary distance with Argentine politics. He should have done so,” pointed out Security Secretary Patricia Bullrich 
Teamsters leader Pablo Moyano told reporters: “This could not have happened without his permission,” in reference to whether the pope had offered his support Argentina's Security Minister Patricia Bullrich has criticized Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, saying he has not “taken the necessary distance from Argentine politics.”
In an interview Bullrich was questioned about the last Saturday's “Peace, Bread and Work” march in Lujan, which was attended by union leaders, lawmakers and Peronist mayors who claimed their had the tacit approval of the Argentine pontiff.
Bullrich responded that “it is time for Argentina to have a real secular state.”
“The pope has not taken the necessary distance with Argentine politics. He should have done so,” she added, saying Francis should “be a little more open with our Government.”
Bullrich said the pontiff “cannot be prejudiced” in his actions “because that is ideological.”
“”I don't like this idea of who is the Pope's friend. It bothers me, playing 'who goes to Rome [to see Pope Francis] the most,“ she said. ”Luckily I never went. We have to mature as a country.“
Last weekend's march in Luján sparked controversy in the press after Teamsters' union leader Pablo Moyano told reporters: ”This could not have happened without his permission,“ in reference to whether the pope had offered his support.
However, local Church officials denied Francis had given his approval. ”Given recent comments, I wish to clarify that Pope Francis has not had any involvement. The decision to hold the Mass in Luján was absolutely mine,” Luján's Archbishop Agustín Radrizzani clarified.
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Read all commentsThe Pope felt “used” by some of his countrymen, who have visited him on numerous occasions in the Vatican since he was elected Pope in March 2013. Among them were numerous politicians, including the current President, Mauricio Macri, and its predecessor, Cristina Kirchner. (Cadena 3 22.1.17) .
Oct 25th, 2018 - 11:16 am -1“Saturday's 'Peace, Bread and Work' march in Lujan, which was attended by union leaders, lawmakers and Peronist mayors...”
Oct 25th, 2018 - 12:29 pm -3MP forgets to mention that over 800,000 citizens attended the march, which bothered the government of Mauricio Macri.
In a bid to divert the meaning of so many Argentines marching for better living conditions, the government has sought to move the axe of the discussion towards the role of Pope Francis, who has in many occasions spoke out against wealth concentration at the expense of the majorities.
To do that, the government uses hardliner officials such as Patricia “baton” Bullrich, who openly supports police actions that ended in the suspicious death of Santiago Maldonado in the midst of an anti-Mapuche illegal operation and the death of Mapuche activist Rafael Nahuel, who was shot in the back.
The government may fool some people with its diversion maneuvers, but the economic reality of the population is what really counts in the end.
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