Pope Francis Seeks to Heal the Carnage of Mexico’s Drug War

The Takeaway

Click on the audio player above to hear this interview.

Pope Francis is at the tail-end of his six-day visit to Mexico, home to the globe’s second largest Catholic population

The first Latin American pope has made issues of income inequality, poverty, and violence the cornerstones of his papacy. And the pontiff’s tour of Mexico will continue that tradition—his itinerary includes stops in Ecatepec, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Morelia, and Ciudad Juarez, some of the most dangerous and violent cities in the country. 

Pope Francis’ visit highlights key issues Mexico has been wrestling with, such as poverty, gangs, violence, immigration, and now even contraception and abortion, as concerns about the Zika virus continue to grow. 

Franc Contreras, a freelance correspondent for CCTV America and contributor to PRI’s The World, discusses why the pope’s visit to Mexico is so remarkable, and whether it will provoke widespread change for the country. 

Help keep The World going strong!

The article you just read is free because dedicated readers and listeners like you chose to support our nonprofit newsroom. Our team works tirelessly to ensure you hear the latest in international, human-centered reporting every weekday. But our work would not be possible without you. We need your help.

Make a gift today to help us reach our $25,000 goal and keep The World going strong. Every gift will get us one step closer.