By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Argentina’s right-wing President-elect Javier Milei, who in past years has called Pope Francis everything from a “son of a bitch” to an “imbecile” to the devil’s man on earth, spoke on the phone with his countryman on Tuesday.
The Vatican said the two spoke in the late afternoon but did not disclose what was discussed and who initiated the call.
According to Argentine newspaper La Nacion, citing sources in Milei’s party, the conversation was “pleasant” and Milei addressed the pope as “Su Santidad” (Your Holiness).
Before he decided to run for president, the former TV “shock jock” commentator made a series of attacks on the pope, calling him an “imbecile who defends social justice,” a “son-of-a-bitch preaching communism” and “the representative of the evil one on Earth.”
In September, priests from poor districts in Buenos Aires, the pope’s birthplace and where he also was archbishop, held a Mass to defend Francis and condemn Milei’s attacks on him.
The newspaper also said the pope initiated the call, which it said lasted eight minutes, and that Milei invited the pope to visit his homeland.
Francis, 86, has made more than 40 trips outside Italy since his election 10 years ago as the first Latin American pontiff but has yet to visit Argentina.
(Reporting by Philip Pullella, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)
