Pope Leo XIV calls for respect for international law in Peru
In Lima, the pope also urged a just handling of Peru’s troubled past as President Keiko Fujimori appealed for reconciliation.
Diplomacy must preserve dialogue and respect international law, Pope Leo XIV told Peruvian authorities in Lima during the closing stage of his South American tour. He also called for justice and sensitivity in addressing Peru’s past, saying democratic societies must recognize each person’s dignity.
President Keiko Fujimori greeted him on arrival, ahead of talks at the Government Palace and his address to officials. Thousands gathered along his airport route. The pontiff has Peruvian nationality and spent some twenty years living in Peru.
Discussing international conflicts without singling out any country, Leo XIV urged governments to seek agreements safeguarding human life and dignity. He encouraged continued Peruvian participation in regional and international cooperation. Fujimori’s preceding speech called for reconciliation.
Ahead of his arrival, victims of state violence linked to Peru’s armed conflict during the 1980s and 1990s, and to protests during 2022 and 2023, wrote to the pope. Their letter alleged that some Church members were keeping their accounts from reaching him. Dina Boluarte, the former president whose administration oversaw the protest crackdown, was present for his speech.
The visit runs until November 16 and includes a Mass at Pimentel, near Chiclayo, with nearly a million people expected. Leo XIV headed the Chiclayo diocese between 2015 and 2023. His remaining itinerary includes Cajamarca, Zaña, Cusco and Pucallpa before he returns to Rome.
