Evo Morales' Gift to the Pope
Evo Morales gave the Pope a crucifix in the form of a hammer and sickle. It is a established prize based on a carving by assassinated priest Luis Espinal that the president has handed out before and which is intended to suggest dialogue.
This is a poor job of PR by the Bolivian government. The Pope clearly was not expecting it and didn't like it--he looks like he took a big bite of a lemon and he actually says, "Esto no está bien."
But it's memorable, I'll give him that. Remember that he gave Condoleezza Rice a coca-lacquered guitar.
4 comments:
For me the part of the story that really should matter is the fact the Jesuit F.Espinal did a lot work for the poor in Bolivia. In the end he paid with his life for standing against a dictatorship that most likely had the support of the CIA.
After the dust settles this story makes more sense, but I doubt that when he visits the US the MSM will have learned anything.......
"Pope Francis told reporters on a flight to Rome that he was not offended by the seemingly Soviet-themed crucifix Bolivian president Evo Morales gave him during his visit to the country last week—a gift the pope seemed briefly taken aback by when it was handed to him—saying he understands the item as “an expression of protest art.”
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/07/13/pope_francis_comments_on_hammer_and_sickle_crucifix_protest_art_from_bolivia.html
It was still bad PR, though--the Bolivians should have explained the gift ahead of time.
One thing I am sure of, the pope is no idiot.
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