Carmen Álvarez Cuadrado
The word “thaw” has been the word on the street ever since it was confirmed that Marco Rubio will visit the pope. The meeting will likely aim to warm the currently icy relations between Washington DC and the Vatican.
That Rubio should be the one to travel to Rome to help ease tensions is fitting on many levels—he is Catholic, has already met Pope Leo, and is the US government's top diplomat.
It was less than a month ago that Donald Trump called Pope Leo “WEAK on crime,” even claiming credit for his election to the papacy. The pope responded by saying that his remarks were not foremost political, also implying they were not meant solely for Trump.
JAVIER MARTÍNEZ-BROCAL
Correspondent for ABC and La Sexta (Spain)
What I think concerns the pope most, in any case, is not so much the person or the Trump administration, but rather the growing use of religious language for political positions.
This tension is compounded by Trump’s latest accusation, coming now just two days before the meeting with Rubio. According to the US president, if it were up to Pope Leo, he would be fine with Iran having nuclear weapons, even if that meant putting Catholics at risk. The Secretary of State was asked about this…
MARCO RUBIO
U.S. Secretary of State
I think what the president basically said is that Iran can't have nuclear weapons because they would use it against places that have a lot of Catholics and Christians and others for that's matter
And what the pope reiterated once again was the Church’s position: opposition to nuclear weapons. He added, “If someone wants to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so with the truth.”
Beyond these tensions, Rubio clarified that the visit had been planned in advance, so they were not the main issue. What he did signal is that he wants to put religious freedom and the situation in Cuba on the table.
MARCO RUBIO
U.S. Secretary of State
We're willing to give more humanitarian aid to Cuba, by the way, distributed through the Church but the Cuba regime has to allow us to do it. They won't allow us to give their own people more humanitarian aid, and we're willing to do it through the Church. So, there's a lot to talk about.
The groundwork has already been laid. In February, Mike Hammer, Trump’s chargé d'affaire to Cuba, traveled to Rome. He met with Brian Burch, as well as with Cardinal Parolin and Bishop Gallagher, the Vatican’s top diplomats. The topic was:
The deterioration of the situation in Cuba and the important role of the Church.
It is a role that is also discreet. Through organizations such as Caritas—especially in Miami—or associations like SOMOS Community Care, humanitarian aid from the United States can reach the island.
Rubio is seeking to increase humanitarian aid to the Cuban population through the Church—but the challenge is that Cuban authorities must first allow it.
As spiritual leader of the Church, Pope Leo XIV could act as a bridge to make this possible. It would not be the first time a pope has served as a link between Cuba and the United States.
