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A12 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 11 March 2017

Colombian church officials: Pope Francis to visit in Sept.

a brief statement. been delayed as a peace
The first Latin American process with the Revolu-
pope will arrive in Bogota tionary Armed Forces of
on Sept. 6 and visit three Colombia dragged on and
other cities — Medellin, the Vatican took care to
Cartagena and Villavicen- avoid taking sides in the
cio — before returning to heated political debate
Rome on Sept. 11. that ensued.
His visit to Medellin will With the deal reached
come nearly 50 years after last November, and atten-
the landmark 1968 meeting tion turning to the difficult
by Latin American clergy in implementation of the ac-
the city, where bishops en- cord, Santos said he hoped
dorsed liberation theology. Francis’ visit would help
The length and itinerary spur reconciliation among
of the trip as announced deeply divided Colombi-
marks something of a de- ans.
parture for Francis. Usually “Pope Francis is a builder
when travelling such a long of bridges, not walls,” said
distance, the pope would Santos, winner of last year’s
add on a second country Nobel Peace Prize. “The
in the region, and limit the visit will help Colombians
time in each country to two come together as a fair-
Pope Francis sits on a bus with members of the Roman on their way back to the Vatican at the
end of a week long spiritual retreat at the village of Ariccia, near Rome, Friday, March 10, 2017. to three days. er, more compassionate,
Pope Francis will visit Colombia in September as part of a trip to celebrate the South American “It’s rare for the Pope to more equal country, one
nation’s steps toward ending five decades of armed conflict. visit a single country and that is in peace. The Holy
(L’Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo via AP) stay there for four days,” Father is coming to support
JOSHUA GOODMAN tion’s steps toward end- Vatican envoy Ettore Balestrero said. “That shows Colombians in the building
Associated Press ing five decades of armed Balestrero made the an- the importance Francis at- of peace.”
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) conflict. nouncement in Bogota on tributes to this trip and ulti- Francis’ would be the third
— Pope Francis will visit It will be the first papal Friday alongside President mately Colombia.” papal visit to Colombia af-
Colombia in September as visit to the staunchly Ro- Juan Manuel Santos. The Authorities have been talk- ter a trip by Pope Paul VI in
part of a trip to celebrate man Catholic country in 31 trip was simultaneously an- ing about Francis’ intention 1968 and a 10-city mara-
the South American na- years. nounced by the Vatican in to travel to Colombia for thon by Pope John Paul II in
two years but the trip had 1986.q
Haiti plans funeral for ex-president despite calls to wait

EVENS SANON ies and civil society figures former leader had health funeral. The government him for not showing leader-
Associated Press as well as groups of school problems including pros- has not responded and ship at a time of crisis.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) children and other citizens. tate cancer in the past. preparations were mov- He was elected by a land-
— Several thousand Hai- President Jovenel Moise Attorney General Donton ing ahead for the funeral, slide in 1995 as the chosen
tians filed past the remains came and expressed con- Leger told reporters on which was to be conduct- successor of Jean-Bertrand
of former President Rene dolences to the family and Thursday that an autopsy ed from a temporary stage Aristide, who has not com-
Preval on Friday ahead of then left without making a did not clearly establish a in the Champ de Mars, a mented publicly on his
a state funeral that a sen- public statement. cause of death and more huge plaza in downtown death and did not come to
ator sought to delay until A funeral was scheduled for tests would be required. He Port-au-Prince. Preval was the viewing on Friday.
further tests are conduct- Saturday, capping six days acknowledged rumors that the only democratically His second term was char-
ed to definitively establish of mourning for a president the former president had elected president to win acterized at the start by a
the cause of death of the who led the country during been poisoned, though he and complete two terms sharp rise in kidnappings
two-term leader. Preval lay the devastating January did not cite any evidence. in Haiti, a country that has and widespread hunger
in an open, flag-draped 2010 earthquake and its Sen. Jean Renel Senatus, been characterized by po- due to higher food prices
casket at a museum dedi- chaotic aftermath. chairman of the Commis- litical upheaval throughout followed by the earth-
cated to heroes of the Family members have sion on Justice and Security its history. An agronomist by quake. The government
country’s independence. said that Preval, who died in the upper house of par- training, he kept a low pro- said the disaster killed
The procession of people March 3, had a heart at- liament, urged the Justice file in office even in the af- about 310,000 people but
who came to pay their re- tack on the way to the Ministry to conduct a formal termath of the earthquake, the precise death toll is un-
spects included dignitar- hospital. The 74-year-old investigation before the which led some to criticize known. q