During a campaign event for the legislative elections in the Coimbra district, Mariana Mortágua was asked what kind of new Pope the world needs, prior to the announcement of the election of the American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost.
“I think the world needs and deserves a voice for peace, a voice that denounces war, a voice that defends ecology against environmental destruction, a voice that stands for equality against the economy that kills,” responded Mariana Mortágua.
Noting that Pope Francis delivered such a message, the leader of the BE argued that “the world needs a strong voice to fight for these values that unite us all.”
“The church has an essential role in our society. Having this voice that speaks to the whole world about peace and about the environment, ecology, unity, solidarity, and equality is very important in these times,” she concluded.
The American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, 69, was elected Pope today after two days of conclave, adopting the name Leo XIV.
Born in Chicago, United States, Prevost has Spanish ancestry and Peruvian nationality, and he is a member of the Order of Saint Augustine.
Leo XIV succeeds Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 at the age of 88.
