The following is a guest blog by Steve Townsend, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy to the Holy See
Pope Francis is currently in Latin America, visiting Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay. There is a particular interest for me, as I spent over three years in Bolivia as Deputy Head of Mission, which left me with many fond memories of the country.
Bolivia is a fascinating place, with a wide diversity of landscape and culture. It is also a country which has gone through huge social and political changes since President Morales was elected President in 2006. It is still one of the poorest countries on the continent, and many of Pope Francis’ messages from his encyclical “Laudato Si” will have a strong resonance there, especially those about the poor and the excluded.
The environmental messages have a particular relevance, as Bolivia has been affected by climate change – droughts, floods, and most seriously the retreat of the glaciers which provide the water for the cities of La Paz and El Alto.
Pope Francis has received an enthusiastic welcome in Bolivia, both in La Paz and in Santa Cruz, and he expressed his joy in encountering “a land of such singular beauty”. The Mass in Santa Cruz included elements in Guaraní, Quechua, and Aymara as well as Spanish, reflecting some of the indigenous languages of the country.
I must admit that my first concern, when I heard that Pope Francis was going to La Paz was whether the altitude would affect him (the airport is at 4,200 metres above sea level). But his energy is amazing, even though the attached picture shows that even he can be affected by the cold!