On May 7, the papal conclave will be held to elect the successor of Pope Francis, who recently passed away at the age of 88. This traditional and secret meeting, attended by cardinals under 80 years old, will have a significant representation from Latin America.
A total of 23 Latin American cardinals will be part of this conclave. It is noteworthy that four out of five of these electors were elevated to the cardinalate by Pope Francis himself. In contrast, only three of the 23 Latin American cardinals were appointed by Benedict XVI.
The last conclave in 2013 lasted one day, but the upcoming election process is expected to be diverse and enriching. According to Susan Timoney, a professor at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, the next conclave will be "one of the most diverse we've had in the history of the church."
Among the Latin American cardinals participating in the election of the next Pope are representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. Brazil leads with seven cardinals, followed by Argentina with four. Mexico will also be represented by two cardinals in this important event.
It is noteworthy that the cardinal from Argentina, Mario Aurelio Poli, is one of the Latin Americans who will participate in the conclave. To date, 135 cardinals will be eligible to vote and elect the next leader of the Catholic Church.
