Pope Francis Considers Going Back Home to 'Suffering' Argentina and Following Up on Longstanding Promise

As Argentina continues with its financial woes, Pope Francis may finally be considering his longstanding promise to his country and finally go back home after more than a decade of not going to Argentina as the pontiff.

Before he was the Archbishop of Rome, Pope Francis was the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, known to be a man of the poor. With socio-economic crises battering Argentina, his presence might somewhat lift up spirits amid triple-digit hyperinflation and soaring poverty.

However, he may need to deal with Argentina's new far-right president, Javier Milei, who is undoubtedly one of the pope's biggest critics in the country. Milei infamously called the pontiff "an envoy of Satan" but may have had a change of heart as he formally invited the pope to return to the land of his birth last week, according to CNN.

"I worry because the people there are suffering a lot. It's a difficult moment for the country," he said while speaking on the Italian talk show "Che Tempo Che Fa." He also teased that they are considering the "possibility of making a trip to Argentina in the second half of the year."

"I would make the trip to Argentina if it can be done. But I would like to go," Pope Francis added, with the possibility of his homecoming possibly happening after a visit to Polynesia in August of this year.

The inflation in Argentina is currently running above 200%, with President Jabier Milei promising to reduce government regulations and payrolls. He also plans to allow the privatization of state-run industries in order to help boost exports and investment. However, his recent measures have not been popular as protests have erupted over them.

Pope Francis Has Forgiven Argentina President Javier Milei Over Anti-Pope Rhetoric

While campaigning for the presidency, Milei called Pope Francis an "imbecile" for defending social justice and often attacked the pontiff over his stances against capitalism. However, Milei has since spoken to the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires after he won.

According to the Associated Press, Pope Francis has indicated that he may have already forgiven the self-described "anarcho-capitalist" over his campaign rhetoric as he now plans to head back home to Argentina and be greeted by the new president.

Pope Francis Doubles Down on Decision To Allow Blessings for Same-Sex Couples

Meanwhile, as Pope Francis finally addresses his homecoming situation, he has also acknowledged that he received much backlash from more conservative wings of the Roman Catholic Church after he allowed blessings for same-sex couples.

He admitted that "solitude is a price you have to pay" when you make difficult decisions but doubled down on the decision, saying that the "Lord blesses everyone" during his interview on Italian TV. He also stated that the bishops resisting his declaration did not really understand the issue and were refusing to open a dialogue about it.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Argentine president officially invites Pope Francis to visit the country - ROME REPORTS in English