The Apostolic Nuncio in Colombia, Monsignor Paolo Rudelli, said that "we have every hope" that a possible trip by Pope Leo XIV to the South American country will materialize, a country he has already visited on other occasions when he was prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine.
“We are very hopeful. There are invitations from the government and the bishops. Since everyone is inviting him, we can’t say when, but there is hope,” the Vatican representative said in an interview with the Colombian newspaper El País.
Monsignor Rudelli added that “the Pope is the center of Church unity, beyond nationality or age. And we have the advantage that this Pope knows Latin America well; he has been to Peru and to Colombia several times. That gives us confidence and hope that this visit can take place.”
Leo XIV was already in Colombia when he was prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine, between 2007 and 2013. The Augustinian priest Mauricio Pérez assured Caracol Radio in May 2025 that during those visits he toured Bogotá, Medellín, Barranquilla and several municipalities of Cundinamarca.
Colombia has already had papal visits with Popes Saint Paul VI in 1968, Saint John Paul II in 1986 and Francis in 2017.
The Church is committed to ensuring that democracy remains a value in Colombia.
During the interview, the apostolic nuncio was also asked about the election year the country is experiencing, in the lead-up to the parliamentary elections on March 8 and the presidential elections on May 31.
“As a Church, we are committed to ensuring that democracy remains a deeply rooted value in the Colombian people,” said the Vatican representative.
Among the challenges awaiting the next government are the growing violence, especially due to armed groups vying for control of various areas of Colombia, the displacement of populations due to conflicts, drug trafficking, the health system crisis, among others.
“Despite all its problems, Colombia has always had a great democratic tradition. That is something that must be valued and preserved,” said Bishop Rudelli.
Regarding the elections, he said, “They are a time when different, sometimes opposing, viewpoints clash, and that’s normal.” “The important thing is that it happens in a context of dialogue, of mutual listening. Everyone can emphasize their position, present their arguments, but it’s essential that we find common ground in the value of democracy,” he added.
“Let the people go out and vote, let them listen to the proposals, and let these proposals be clear, transparent, and without ulterior motives. In a world as difficult as today's, democracy has intrinsic value,” he said.
Monsignor Rudelli stated that “each vote is not a bureaucratic act: it is the expression of a person, of their idea. And, when all those ideas are added together, in the democratic confrontation, positions are often nuanced, softened. It doesn't always work that way, but that is the ideal.”
Taken from: Aciprensa
