With
Pope Francis
, the ways of Vatican diplomacy can be broken.
In fact, they broke this Monday by granting President
Javier Milei
more than an hour for the audience they held, when official visits by heads of state to the pontiff usually last just over 20 minutes.
But while it is true that the time he dedicated to it is a significant political fact because it denotes deference, it is even more true that the longer duration made possible
a more intense exchange around critical issues such as the delicate social situation in Argentina and the high level of political confrontation.
Milei himself said that he wanted to talk about social plans with the Pope and the Vatican authorities and, for this reason,
he added the Minister of Human Capital Sandra Pettovello to the delegation.
And it is known that Francis is especially concerned about the situation of the poor
.
Therefore, it is assumed that in the meeting, the president confirmed what he has been saying since the campaign: that the only aspect in which his government will not impose cuts will be in social assistance.
And that he informed her that he increased the amount allocated to assistance initiatives such as the Alimentar Card.
Pope Francis and the Argentine president, Javier Milei during their private meeting this Monday at the Vatican.
Photo EFE
However, the change in the method of providing merchandise to the thousands of community kitchens throughout the country that the Ministry of Human Capital established, replacing the shipment of non-perishable products with a purchase card for the products they manage directly those places - after re-registration - actually led to a suspension of food aid.
The Church came out last week to ask for the restitution of aid until the new system is fully operational and its effectiveness is verified.
To make matters worse, the Government also decided to give a sum of money to Cáritas for its soup kitchens - as well as to the evangelical churches for its own - which in the Church was interpreted as a way to avoid social movements.
Beyond the fact that the bishops recognize that there are those who profit politically or economically from poverty, they came out to say through Cáritas itself that many do good work and that, in the face of so many needs, the collaboration of all those who carry out a work is needed. solidarity work.
Video
The President and the Supreme Pontiff held a meeting of almost 70 minutes with almost no audience.
The official delegation, made up of ministers Diana Mondino, Guillermo Francos and Sandra Pettovello, only entered at the end of the conversation.
The other issue that
the Pope would have put on the table is the high level of political confrontation that exists in Argentina and the need to go down the path of dialogue and the search for consensus
as Francis has been asking without success since he was archbishop of Buenos Aires and the crisis of 2001 broke out. At the canonization of Mama Antula, on Sunday, led by the Pope, it was prayed that the presidents promote dialogue in their countries, put aside what divides and bet on unity.
Francisco is concerned about the possibility that the verbal confrontation - complemented by virulent demonstrations and clashes with security forces - will escalate within the framework of the increasingly deteriorating social situation, a product of the adjustment that Milei launched to balance the accounts and reach zero deficit in order to, he argues, lower inflation, which especially harms the poor.
For the rest, the famous crack constituted an obstacle for the Pope's delayed visit to Argentina.
The Vatican Secretariat of State said that everything Francis said or did in his country would be a source of controversy among his compatriots.
For this reason, he considered that we had to wait for calmer times that never came and that, in fact, became more turbulent.
Pope Francis received Milei in a private audience.
Photo: Vatican Media.
However,
Milei - after sending him the formal invitation at the beginning of January - personally invited the pontiff during the meeting to visit the country,
obtaining an open response from the pontiff: that he intends to go, that he is thinking about the second half of this year. year, but that the decision will be made at the time.
In ecclesiastical circles they believe that it will help the completion of the trip if Milei equitably distributes the burdens of the adjustment and lowers the level of confrontation with the most bitter opposition led by Kirchnerism and the left and with those who may be his circumstantial allies.
Time will tell if Milei listened to the Pope's recommendations.