Pope Francis, the first Latin-American pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church, played a key role in another history-making endeavor to end the longstanding rift between the United States and Cuba.
The White House announced Wednesday that the two countries would re-establish diplomatic relations, after Cuba released American contractor Alan Gross in exchange for three Cubans jailed in the U.S. and accused of spying.
The thaw between the U.S. and Cuban governments began in spring 2013, when President Barack Obama authorized high-level talks between the two nations. A senior administration official told reporters that Cuba had been a top topic of conversation when Obama and Francis met in person earlier this year. Then the Vatican hosted the U.S.-Cuba delegations this fall, after Francis had asked them to “pursue closer relations,” the official said.
The official noted that the support of the pope was important, given Francis’ history within the Catholic church in Latin America. Much of the Cuban population is at least nominally Roman Catholic.
Obama confirmed Francis’ outreach later Wednesday in a press conference at the White House.
“His holiness Pope Francis issued a personal appeal to me and to Cuba’s president, Raúl Castro, urging us to resolve Alan’s case and to address Cuba’s interest in the release of three Cuban agents who’ve been jailed in the U.S. for over 15 years,” Obama said.
Gross’ wife, Judy, had been pleading her husband’s case to the Vatican as far back as spring 2012, when Pope Benedict XVI still led the church.
“I have one hope left, and that’s, of course, the pope,” she told the Washington Post at the time. “If that doesn’t work, I think he’ll probably die in Cuban prison.”
The Vatican congratulated the U.S. and Cuban governments Wednesday and acknowledged the role it played in securing the groundbreaking agreement.
“The Holy See received Delegations of the two countries in the Vatican last October and provided its good offices to facilitate a constructive dialogue on delicate matters, resulting in solutions acceptable to both Parties,” the Vatican said in a statement. “The Holy See will continue to assure its support for initiatives which both nations will undertake to strengthen their bilateral relations and promote the wellbeing of their respective citizens.”
Dylan Scott contributed to this report.
Doesn’t matter to the rightwing in this country that the Pope helped in this matter, even if some of them are Catholic. To them, this Pope is “the Commie Pope”, “the Pinko Pope”, so it comes as no great measure in their eyes. Popes, like Presidents, are only good and infallible if they veer to the right on all issues, social or otherwise.
Such hypocrisy.
Thank you Pope Francis. You’re amazing.
Blessed are the peacemakers.
There’s a phrase we don’t hear very often…
CaTHOLICs areN’t REAL cHRIstiaNS, LIBtard.
Take note RWNJ-pols.
This? Is how negotiation and compromise work to make a situation better for ALL involved.
Not just for the 1%.
Not just for your net worth.
Not just for your Southern-fried Evangelicalism.
For everybody.
jw1