Pope Francis plans to visit Argentina in 2024: daily

Pope Francis, who has not returned to his native country since taking office 10 years ago, said he plans to visit Argentina in 2024, a local newspaper reported on Sunday.

“I want to go to the country next year. I always wanted to return to the country,” Francisco told Argentina’s La Nación newspaper.

If the visit takes place, the 86-year-old Pope would travel a year after the general elections next October in Argentina, which is deeply divided politically, has annual inflation of 100% and suffers from 40% poverty.

“Don’t link me to Argentine politics, please,” Francisco told the journalist, showing his interest that the visit not be used politically.

The pontificate of Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Catholic Church, turned 10 on March 13, a period during which he has never visited Argentina, despite having made multiple trips abroad, including Africa this year.

Many in Argentina are looking forward to the visit of former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio and prayed at the end of March for his speedy recovery from bronchitis that kept him hospitalized for a few days in a Rome hospital.

Francis suffers from a persistent knee ailment that requires him to use a cane and a wheelchair, but those close to him say the leader of the world’s nearly 1.4 billion Roman Catholics is in good general health for a man his age.

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