'Peruvian pope' makes jubilant return to 'homeland'
Pope Leo XIV arrived in his "beloved" Peru yesterday, a nostalgic return to the nation where he spent two decades as a missionary before being tapped to lead the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.
Pope Leo XIV, a 71-year-old Peruvian, returned to his homeland of Peru after a three-nation Latin American tour. The pontiff, who spent two decades in Peru as a missionary, touched on sensitive political topics during his visit. Peru's President Keiko Fujimori, whose father Alberto Fujimori once ruled the country, was among the supporters who lined the streets, celebrating the pontiff as his homeland.
Pope Leo urged Peru's leaders to confront past injustices with justice and sensitivity, referencing the country's history of violence and corruption. During his trip, the pope addressed issues like rising crime, economic inequality, and natural disasters. He emphasized that Peruvians should live without fear and called for stronger measures to protect lives. Some 69,000 people were killed or disappeared during Alberto Fujimori's brutal rule in the 1990s.
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