Why could Milei’s approach to Pope Francis be counterproductive? – 2024-02-13 16:12:30

Sputnik

After offending Pope Francis during the election campaign, Javier Milei now wants to get closer to the Supreme Pontiff. The two met this February 11 at the Vatican and the president even invited Jorge Mario Bergoglio to Argentina. The result of all this, analysts tell Sputnik, may not be what Milei expects.

The first meeting between the two Argentines took place briefly during the canonization ceremony of the first Argentine saint, María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa, also known as Mamá Antula (1730-1799).

Then, this February 12, both held a private meeting in which, as already planned, Milei invited the Pope to visit Argentina in the second half of this year.

Despite the fact that Francisco has so many ties, Ximena remembers that he has not visited Argentina since 2013. “I don’t know if he will accept it, and if he does, I think he will find a way to signal that he is visiting her.” It does not mean political support.”

But… what is Milei looking for with the Pope?

In the past, Milei was the author of offenses against Francis, accusing the leader of the Catholic Church of being “the representative of evil on Earth” and “an imbecile who defends social justice,” recalls Vitor de Pieri, academic and doctor in Geography from the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ).

Despite having apologized to the Supreme Pontiff and calling him “the most important Argentine in history,” Milei raises suspicions regarding this reconciliation movement. “This approach to the Pope is to try to change his image a little “in the eyes of his electorate,” says the expert.

“He wants to use the image of Pope Francis for his own benefit. The Pope is Argentine and more than 70% of Argentines are Catholics,” he explains.

Ximena Simpson, a researcher at the School of Politics and Government of the National University of San Martín, in Argentina, also highlights Milei’s intention to obtain some political advantage in his approach to the Supreme Pontiff.

“He is doing, let’s say, homework on basic politics in a Catholic country,” he describes.

For Simpson, the Argentine population is more concerned about the country’s internal situation, dealing with the difficulty of economic stabilization and the implementation of the Omnibus Law, which was not approved in Congress, than about Milei-Francisco relations.

Both experts also point out that the president’s visit to the Vatican lacked meaning due to the circumstances in which it occurred and in addition to having no effect, the attempt to get closer to the pope could end up having the opposite effect to what Milei expects, the analysts say. .

The opposites between the president and the pope

Among the points of friction that the self-proclaimed liberal and Pope Francis may have is the closeness that the Argentine president has with the evangelical churches, Simpson points out. Milei recently withdrew food aid funds from social movements linked to the Catholic Church and transferred them to the administration of an evangelical organization.

This social activity that the Catholic Church has in Argentina is another point that distances both leaders. Vitor de Pieri remembers that Francisco always defended ideas contrary to those of Milei, having greater sympathy for social movements and unions.

This social activity that the Catholic Church has in Argentina is another point that distances both leaders. Vitor de Pieri remembers that Francisco always defended ideas contrary to those of Milei, having greater sympathy for social movements and unions.

This does not mean, however, that the pontiff will oppose Milei. “The Pope is a very skilled political figure,” remembers Ximena Simpson. Still, Pope Francis has a “clear sympathy for Peronism,” she says.

For De Pieri, in the event of a possible visit by the pontiff to Argentina, Bergoglio’s proximity to opposition politicians could end up standing out. “The Pope is very close to Juan Grabois, who competed with Sergio Massa in the Union for the Homeland elections,” he recalls.

Despite the fact that Francis has so many ties, Simpson points out that the Argentine pope has not visited him since 2013. “I don’t know if he will accept it.” [la invitación] and if he does, I think he will find a way to point out that the visit does not mean political support,” he concluded.