00:00Let's now talk with Santiago Barazzi, sociologist specializing in the analysis of contemporary political, social and religious processes.
00:09Argentina is receiving a Pope for the first time since 1987 and this visit carries an additional symbolic weight because
00:17it is the homeland of Pope Francis.
00:19How important is this moment for Argentine society and what does Leo XIV arrival represent for a country that had
00:25such a profound influence on the previous pontificate?
00:32Well first of all a pleasure being here with you talking about this historical trip of Pope Leo to Latin
00:40America and in particular to Argentina.
00:45Not only a very important country for South America but also the homeland of Pope Francis.
00:53Of course as you have just said the arrival of a Pope after 39 years and especially after 12 years
01:06that an Argentinean has been at Rome at the Vatican as the main authority of the Catholic Church.
01:14It's really a very strange situation in a way. Of course we are very happy of receiving Pope Leo but
01:28of course the visit that couldn't concrete in a way.
01:36I would say Pope Francis has been always an issue for not only the Argentinean Church but also like the
01:45whole society.
01:47I think that and it's not only that I think that recently Pope Leo in the flight from Rome to
01:59Montevideo he was asked about this.
02:03And he has said that in a way his visit is like a recognition like a tribute to Pope Francis
02:12because in Pope Francis it's not only a son of this land of Argentina also Buenos Aires.
02:23But he has been the first Latin American Pope so in a way his presence here in Buenos Aires in
02:33Córdoba and in Luján it's a very nice way to remember Pope Francis.
02:41To also have him present in this moment of Argentinian life and I think it's going to be a very
02:55special moment when Pope Leo finishing his trip here his visit here in Argentina when he's going to pray the
03:08massive mass that it's going to take place.
03:11In Luján in the Basilica of Luján that it's the main sanctuary of Argentina and I think in that moment
03:23it's going to be especially important the memory of Pope Francis here in his homeland.
03:35Santiago, the Pope's arrival coincides with a period of significant economic and social transformation under Javier Malay's government particularly its
03:44austerity policies and their impact on vulnerable sectors.
03:47How should we understand the relationship between the Catholic Church and the current Argentinian government and could Leo 14 social
03:53priorities create tensions with Malay's political and economic agenda?
04:00Well, of course, Javier Malay is a very particular president because it's not only the president of Argentina but also
04:14a global figure of like the libertarian philosophy and political movement.
04:25And that he has appeared in his local land here in Argentina.
04:33He was really a phenomenon, difficult to believe at first but his figure has also clashed in a way with
04:46the values of the Catholic Church.
04:49And I think that the image that just have some moments ago happened in the in the meeting of Pope
05:05Leo and Javier Malay.
05:07It's really how can I how can I how can I put it?
05:11It's it's like the the meeting of two ways of reading the social and economic and political issues in the
05:25in the 20th century, 21st century, in a way, because the church and it has lots of things to do
05:36with the last.
05:36The next encyclical, the Magnificat Humanitas that has present Pope Leo in May shows a way to to read the
05:52the disputes, the struggles of the 21st century.
05:57And in a way, Millet represents a totally another way of reading the issues that are actually in debates at
06:08humanity, especially if we talk about economics, if we talk about artificial intelligence, if we talk about the the way
06:19to conceive the states and the politics.
06:23So it's really a global notice, this this visit, this meeting, and I think that, of course, the words of
06:35Pope Leo, it's going to be discussing in a way with with the ideas of Javier Malay and the libertarian
06:48movements that he represents here in Argentina.
06:51But also in the region and in all the world.
06:58Argentina has historically had a strong Catholic identity, where it is also experiencing important social, political and cultural transformations.
07:06What influence does the Catholic Church retain in Argentina today? And to what extent can it continue to act as
07:13a voice for sectors affected by poverty, inequality and social exclusion?
07:19Well, actually, Argentina, it's a Catholic, it's a Catholic country. The people here, since the beginning of its history, it's
07:35it's it's it had had a very close.
07:41Yes, yes, a very, a very strong role, the Catholic Church along the Argentinian history.
07:50Of course, Bergoglio, Francisco, it's part of that story of that history. And in a way, the church, although as
08:03you mentioned, in in several areas, it might had lose some influence.
08:13It's true also that in the last time there has been like a revival of the way the Argentinian church
08:24is talking in the public discussions.
08:30And I think it's very important to take a look, to listen, for example, the president of the Bishops Conference
08:43of Argentina, Marcelo Colombo, the way he is putting words in the social debates, for example, on what regards the
08:56policies for people,
08:59people, handicapped people, handicapped people, that the government of Javier Millet had cut lots of the grant, the big part
09:09of the budget destinates for assist families and people, handicapped people.
09:15And in the last month, the church had had a very strong words in this debate, the same with another
09:26law that the government tried to pass in the Congress.
09:29And they couldn't at the end because they couldn't at the end because the opposition stopped that that was called
09:36like the law for lands, because the discussion was about if it was possible to to to to sell the
09:49lands for foreigners.
09:51Well, the church and in the figure of Marcelo Colombo, the bishop, they had put very strong interventions in order
10:03to discuss the way of the government, discuss and oppose this type of situation.
10:11So I think that we are living a very particular time because as you said, the now Argentina, especially Buenos
10:23Aires and the big cities, of course, it's like multicultural and religious societies.
10:29But also there's a very strong word, public word from the church, from its bishop and some priests that they
10:40are being maybe one of the most important words, speeches, public speeches that are discussing this issue.
10:51So I think that we are in a very particular moment and in that particular moment is that Leo, Pope
10:58Leo is arriving to Argentina.
11:02Thank you, Santiago, for your inputs here with us.
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