Unstoppable. From eight in the morning, when he boarded the plane that brought him from Rome, until late at night, when he left the vigil in the Plaza de Lima in Madrid, León XIV did not stop. And he also did not stop sending strong and significant messages in front of a world where, as he recalled, it is better not to be swayed by those who cultivate populism.
On the plane, with the journalists who came with him from Rome, he already demanded “respect for every human being.” And during his visit to a Cáritas center in the Lucero neighborhood, he had an emotional meeting with a young Cuban mother and a Senegalese migrant, whose harsh experiences made him ask believers to “not be dragged down by worldly ideologies that only foster division and a culture of rejection”.
In this regard, during his speech at the Royal Palace, he advocated for the “culture of encounter” and asked to “abandon divisive and polarizing narratives” to overcome sterile simplifications, while warning that “the temptation to seek popularity by stoking the fire of polarizations continues to grow”.
A clear message against racism and exclusion that, without a doubt, he will repeat with new nuances in the final days of his visit to Spain, specifically in Tenerife and Gran Canaria, where the largest arrivals of undocumented migrants by sea occur.
Before the Spanish authorities and the Diplomatic Corps accredited in Spain, León XIV did not shy away from any controversy, including sexual abuse within the Church. Regarding this matter, he confirmed that he will meet with families and victims of the abuses. He also urged politicians to abandon “polarizing narratives” and dedicate more funds to education and research, developing what he called a “technological humanism.”
Precisely about the effect of new technologies, he insisted that in virtual media “prejudices are exacerbated and critical thinking is weakened”, ideas he already expressed in his recent encyclical ‘Magnifica Humanitas’.
In case there were doubts about his position on the international scene, León XIV expressed his deep gratitude to Spain for its fidelity to international law and multilateralism, while highlighting its active involvement with global peace and solidarity.