AI Image
Pope Leo urges end to violence in Peru during visit to remote Andes town
Al Jazeera • • general
Key Points:
- Pope Leo XIV urged an end to violence in Peru during visits to communities he once served as bishop, emphasizing that brutality is not the answer to injustice and calling for prayer, patience, and perseverance.
- Peru has seen a sharp rise in violence, with the homicide rate nearly doubling over five years and extortion cases increasing more than tenfold, prompting security to become a top election issue.
- President Keiko Fujimori, elected on a tough-on-crime platform, has declared states of emergency and strengthened ties with the US-led coalition "Shield of the Americas" to combat drug cartels and criminal organizations.
- During a Mass in the Andean town of Santa Cruz de Succhabamba, Pope Leo highlighted the struggles of rural communities affected by migration and declining birth rates, urging support for those forced to leave their homes for better opportunities.
- Originally from Chicago, Pope Leo XIV has deep ties to Peru, having served as bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023 and spent about 20 years as a missionary priest and bishop in the country.
