Former Chilean first lady Marta Larraechea (1994-2000) has gone viral for critising Pope Francis’ visit to Chile, in early 2018.
She specially criticises Pope Francis’ lack of action regarding the continuity of the Bishop of Osorno, Juan Barros Madrid, who has been accused of concealing cases of child abuse and paedophilia.
Larraechea acussed the pontiff of paying lip service and being someone who she simply “does not like.”
“I do not like the pontiff at all, he is a guy who, deep down, is more reserved, someone who just pays lip service“, she said.
In Osorno, Larraechea expressed her support towards the local Lay Organisation, a group which has opposed Barros ever since the allegations became public. He faces protests regularly.
“I do not want to catch the sight of him, because I do not like paedophiles”, Larraechea added.
In fact, Fernando Karadima’s victims have accused Barros of witnessing the abuses they suffered.
Mr Karadima was a member of the highest echelons of the Chilean clergy. Nonetheless, and after a Vatican enquiry, he was suspended for life after it was confirmed that he was guilty of sexual assault against boys.
January papal visit
The head of the Catholic church will visit Chile for the first time from 15 to 18 January, an event that has caused controversy not only because he will face a less Cristian country than the one John Paul II found back in 1987, but also because of the high cost for the Chilean State.
On top of that, the church’s popularity has declined in recent years specifically because of child abuse scandals.
In light of this, Larraechea believes the Pope’s ambassador to Chile, Ivo Scapolo, should have warned Francis of the tarnished image of the church in the country.
Back in October 2015, a video of Pope Francis at The Vatican saying that “Osorno suffers because it is dumb” angered many.
The video was recorded in May 2015 and the Pope’s reaction was triggered by a request of Osorno locals who asked the pontiff to send a message to their community, upset by Barros’ arrival to the Bishopric.
The Pope fiercely defended Barros and declared that Osorno had a problem because, in the end, it did not open its heart to what God said and believed other people’s “rubbish”.
Regarding that particular episode, the former first lady hopes he never comes to Chile. “He does not like us”, she said.
“What the Pope said about Osorno was very painful”, Larraechea -who currently lives in that city in the south of Chile- added.
