Photo: Vida Nueva

By: Roberto Morejón

"The new pope is Peruvian," claim natives of the South American country because they fondly remember that part of Robert Prevost's pastoral journey took place in their land, even though he is American.

In Chiclayo, where Pope Francis was bishop, they remember him being in contact with the needs of the capital city of the Lambayeque region in northwestern Peru.

They remember Prevost's first arrival in 1985 and his appointment as bishop of Chiclayo by Pope Francis in 2015.

Peruvians say that the current bishop of Rome devoted the same attention to the needy as he preached in his homilies.

During that time, he opened soup kitchens in various parts of the Chiclayo diocese. Even today, more than 250,000 people in various villages live without water and are victims of diseases.

Poverty and abandonment persist in the outskirts of Chiclayo, reflecting a reality throughout Peru. Of the total number of Peruvian children between the ages of 6 and 17, 1,359,000 work, representing 16 percent of the population.

Statistics reveal that, for the first time in three years, poverty in the South American nation declined in 2024, although it remained high at 27.6 percent.

The indicator remains high, considerably higher than pre-pandemic levels. Overall, 18 of Peru's 25 regions have yet to recover their pre-Covid-19 social conditions.

Nevertheless, politicians and economists boast about the sustained rise in Peru's gross domestic product (GDP), though the Institute of Economics warns that maintaining an annual economic growth rate of three percent would take nearly two decades to return the country to its 2019 poverty levels.

These predictions are fueled by employment volatility, as 73 percent of Peru's 17 million workers are employed informally.

In light of the social inequities in Peru, many recall the legacy of Bishop Robert Prevost, who served Chiclayo. He was known for his practical approach and willingness to help the most vulnerable, not just for his preaching.

The pastor, who dedicated himself to migrants and humble people, has a wave of followers in Chiclayo, Lambayeque, and throughout Peru.