Pope Francis received today in audience Verónica Alcocer, wife of the president, Gustavo Petro, who transmitted the invitation to visit the country and in the conversation they had “they agreed on the concern for intrafamily violence, the mistreatment of women, children and girls,” according to a statement from the Colombian presidency.
According to the note, the first lady “transmitted the invitation to visit Colombia, by the President of the Republic, Gustavo Petro, at this crucial moment that the country is going through towards Total Peace.”
In the private audience, which lasted 30 minutes, the first lady “conveyed to His Holiness the concerns she has about the reality of women and children in our country, the need to eliminate violence from society and the importance to unite efforts that lead society in general towards Total Peace”, adds the note
Likewise, “Pope Francis expressed the need to continue working for peace, the leading and central role of women in society,” said the statement from the presidency.
The Vatican did not give details about the content of the talks, since it only reports when it comes to the audience with a Head of State or Government.
“Let him play, keep going to the territories, have contact with the people. Touching is the only one of the five senses that we do voluntarily and it reconciles,” Francisco told him, according to the note.
The name of Alcocer had circulated to participate in the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on January 5, but the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Álvaro Leyva Durán, finally attended.
Francisco had the opportunity to meet Petro in February 2020 when he was a presidential candidate and at the meeting they discussed violence in the South American country, this was reported by his team and in this meeting, which lasted 45 minutes, his wife also participated. EFE