Pope Francis news: Vatican responds to Trump's criticism to pontiff's border visit
The Vatican has finally issued a reply to presidential hopeful Donal Trump's criticism regarding Pope Francis' visit to the U.S.-Mexican border.
According to Mexican news agency Excelsior, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said at a press briefing that the Pope is not an instrument of Mexico's immigration policy. Lombardi said that Trump's remarks didn't make sense, stressing that the Pope has the same stand about immigration all over the world.
"The Pope always talks about migration problems all around the world, of the duties we have to solve these problems in a humane manner, of welcoming those who come from other countries in search of a life of dignity and peace," Lombardi further added.
The Pope, according to the Vatican spokesman, has been urging other countries not to turn their backs to those who are victims of poverty and oppression.
The Vatican's response came after Trump's interview on Fox Business, wherein he criticized the Pope's plan to visit the Mexican border. Trump expressed his skepticism about the visit, saying the pontiff does not fully understand the danger an open border would create to the United States.
In Trump's own words, "I think Mexico got him to [visit the border] because Mexico wants to keep the border just the way it is because they're making a fortune and we're losing."
Trump has been firm in his stand about erecting a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. Combating illegal immigration has become the center of his campaign for his presidency.
Aside from the issue of immigration, the Pope also exhorted Mexico's youth not to be lured by easy money from drug trafficking. Instead, he encouraged them to build their communities and see themselves as the hope of their country.
Interestingly, a video footage on The Telegraph showed the first time the Pope seemed to lose his cool as a well-wisher almost knocked him over. The person's face was not caught by the camera; however, it captured the Pope telling the overzealous well-wisher in Spanish, "Don't be selfish," and took a step back.