The Cardinal of Uruguay, Daniel Sturla, expressed at a press conference from Rome his opinion on the possibility of the next pope being Latino American. Although he did not completely rule out this possibility, he considers it unlikely to happen. He highlighted the importance of the origin of the new pontiff and recalled the influence that John Paul II, a Polish pope, had on the church. Sturla is preparing to participate in the conclave that will elect the successor of Pope Francis, who recently passed away.
Regarding the atmosphere prior to the conclave, the cardinal pointed out that there is a serenity that has characterized the previous meetings. He emphasized the importance of discerning God's will to choose the right pope at this moment. Sturla expressed his desire for the election process to take the necessary time to reach a broader consensus on the person to be appointed as pope.
Referring to the duration of the conclave that will begin in the coming hours, Sturla mentioned that some estimate it could last between one or two days, but he hopes it will be extended for as long as necessary to achieve a wide consensus. The cardinal recalled the legacy of John Paul II and the relevance of the preferential option for the poor, promoted by Pope Francis, who hails from the Río de la Plata region. He also expressed his opinion on the importance of the influence of a pope in European history, highlighting the particularities brought by the different geographical origins of the supreme pontiffs.
