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Will the next pope be from Asia?
KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan — There may only be a few days before the College of Cardinals gathers inside the Sistine Chapel to elect the next leader of the Catholic Church, and, for the first time in history, an Asian pope is a real possibility.
Of the 23 cardinals from Asia eligible to vote, one name comes up again and again, that of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines, sometimes called the «Philippine Francis.»
The 67-year-old had a close relationship with Pope Francis and served as his envoy to Asia during the 2015-16 special Jubilee Year, during which he made a brief stop in Taipei, Taiwan. Tagle also accompanied Francis on his first international trip to Asia in 2014, when the pontiff visited South Korea.
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Pope Francis, right, waves to Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, left, during a ceremonial welcome at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta Sept. 4, 2024. (Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images)
Pope Francis achieved several «firsts» in Asia, including becoming the first pontiff to visit Myanmar in 2017 and Mongolia in 2023. Thomas Tu, a Vatican diplomacy expert at Taiwan’s National Chengchi University, told Fox News Digital that while Mongolia is home to only about 1,400 Catholics, it now hosts a cardinal, but he is Italian-born and just 50 years old, making his election as pope unlikely.
Another Asian candidate is Burma’s Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, 76, from a country where Catholics represent just about 1% of the population. Meanwhile, over the last several days, reports from South Korean newspapers are suggesting South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, 74, is among the leading candidates to succeed Pope Francis.
Pope Francis greets the people of China as he concludes Mass in the Hun Theatre Sept. 3, 2023, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)
Catholicism is growing rapidly in South Korea, according to Taipei-based Tu, who told Fox News Digital both Buddhists and Protestants have been converting at surprising rates.
«Unlike in Brazil, where Catholics are losing members to Evangelicals, Korea’s Catholic Church is attracting new followers,» Tu said. Then-Bishop Lazarus You Heung-sik is widely credited with helping persuade Pope Francis to make South Korea the first stop on his Asian travels in 2014. Heung-sik was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2022.
Pope Francis, right, walks with the Bishop of Daejon, Lazarus You Heung-sik, as he arrives at the Shrine of Solmoe, birthplace of Saint Andrew Kim Taegon, in Dangjin Aug. 15, 2014. (Vincenzo Pinto/AFP via Getty Images)
Francis may one day be rated as among the most influential popes of all time. Pope John Paul II made history by becoming the first pope from Poland and his pontificate lasted 26 years (1978-2006). Francis was head of the Catholic Church for a much shorter time, almost exactly 12 years, but the late pope appointed 80% of the cardinals who will vote for his successor.
The late Holy Father also enlarged the number of cardinals and, for the first time in history, the upcoming conclave will see European cardinals in the minority. However, some experts warn against assuming the next pope will be «Francis the Second,» as many of these new cardinals are considered more conservative.
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This picture taken Aug. 10, 2018, shows a motorcyclist riding past the Holy Spirit Church in Yanshui, about an hour’s drive from the southern city of Tainan. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)
The home nation of Asian cardinals doesn’t necessarily reflect the number of Catholics there. In Japan, Catholics make up fewer than 0.5% of the population, but there is a Japanese cardinal who is reasonably active on social media. The largest Asian block of cardinals hails from majority-Hindu India, which has six to the predominately Catholic Philippines’ five.
Still, many Vatican watchers believe Cardinal Tagle remains the most likely Asian candidate, although his progressive stances may prove divisive. Tagle has publicly criticized the church for using «harsh words» in past criticisms of LGBTQ Catholics and remarried divorcees and advocates for a more flexible approach. This stance is in line with Pope Francis’ 2015 papal declaration that said the church needs to «avoid judgments which do not take into account the complexity of various situations.»
Cardinal Charles Maung Bo poses with relatives during a courtesy visit Feb. 14, 2015, at the Vatican. (Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images)
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Should Tagle beat the odds and become the next pope, his election would energize the church’s progressive wing, as he would likely continue the liberal-leaning direction charted by Francis. His emphasis on serving the poor has won him admiration across Asia and beyond, as has his relatable style. Tagle reportedly prefers being called by his nickname «Chito,» rather than by his formal title.
Pope Francis officiating the General Audience in Saint Peter’s square. Pope Francis together with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. (Photo by Grzegorz Galazka/Archivio Grzegorz Galazka/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Thomas Tu shared a personal story about Tagle’s compassion, recalling an incident before the cardinal received his red hat. After a young seminarian died suddenly, Tagle chose to join the group of senior seminary members and personally visit the grieving family, later giving a moving sermon in which he «compared the church to a mother, similar to the one who had lost her son,» Tu said. «Tagle just has a way of reaching people that is special.»
Few dispute that the election of the next pope will be among the most consequential moments for the Catholic Church in decades. And, for the first time, candidates from Asia are now part of serious conversations about the future direction of the faith.
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Alliance with US ‘dismantled’ by leftist Petro regime, Colombia’s former defense minister says
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Former Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzón warned that the once-close U.S.–Colombia alliance has «collapsed» under President Gustavo Petro, accusing the leftist leader of aligning with Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and turning Colombia into a «narco-state.»
Pinzón, who is weighing a presidential run, told Fox News Digital he could «repair U.S.-Colombian relations in a week» and urged international oversight of Colombia’s May elections amid what he called growing cartel influence and political corruption.
«Petro has made himself an ally to [Venezuelan dictator Nicolás] Maduro’s regime, a narco-state, and a regime that is held mainly by the Cartel de los Soles,» Pinzón said. «He has justified the existence of drug trafficking in Colombia … he has aligned himself with the idea of something that he calls ‘Total Peace,’ which implies that he’s providing benefits to drug traffickers and terrorist organizations and in general terms to organized crime.»
Relations between Washington and Bogotá — historically one of the closest U.S. security partnerships in Latin America — have deteriorated sharply under Petro, who has sought warmer ties with Caracas while distancing Colombia from the U.S. and Western allies.
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Colombia’s former defense chief and Ambassador to the U.S. Juan Carlos Pinzon (right) floats a run for the presidency. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
During his tenure as defense minister from 2011 to 2015 under President Juan Manuel Santos, Pinzón oversaw some of Colombia’s most aggressive operations against the FARC and other armed groups, helping drive coca production and kidnappings to historic lows. As ambassador to Washington from 2015 to 2017, he helped secure Colombia’s designation as a major non-NATO ally, expanding intelligence sharing and military training programs with the U.S. — partnerships he now says have been «dismantled» under Petro.
Under Petro’s «Total Peace» policy, the Colombian government negotiates directly with armed criminal groups in an effort to end decades of internal conflict and integrate fighters into civilian life. Critics, including Pinzón, say the initiative has legitimized cartels and weakened the country’s security forces.
«Homicide has gone up, terrorist actions have gone up, kidnappings have gone up, and the killing of police officers and military is increasing,» he said. «All this is very bad for my country. And this is why I’m so committed to fight this, to confront this.»
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President Donald Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro. (Getty Images)
Pinzón, who previously served as both defense minister and ambassador to Washington, is positioning himself as a pro-U.S. alternative ahead of Colombia’s 2026 presidential race. «I might announce a decision in the coming weeks,» he said. «That’s something that I’m really considering.»
He also called for international election monitoring, warning that criminal networks could interfere in the vote. «If I were to ask something to the world today and to the international community — to the U.S., to the European Union, and even to countries in Asia — it’s that they make sure Colombian elections are not tainted by drug trafficking, illegal mining or terrorist hands,» Pinzón said.
After a recent spat where Petro accused the U.S. of killing a Colombian fisherman in one of its seven Caribbean strikes targeting drug traffickers, Trump announced he would cut off all counter-narcotics aid to Colombia and hike tariffs on the nation.
Pinzón urged Washington not to punish ordinary Colombians for Petro’s policies.
«It’s not regular Colombians who are doing this,» he said. «Most of us completely disagree with what is going on under Petro. We don’t want to see tariffs that can affect jobs and businesses in Colombia.»
While he praised Trump’s stance against narco-trafficking and corruption, Pinzón said he hopes the U.S. will avoid cutting counternarcotics aid, which he described as vital to Colombia’s military and police forces on the front lines of the drug war. «Our military and police are the real fighters against drugs,» he said. «They continue to sacrifice, they continue to confront terrorism and drug trafficking. If that support disappears, it’s the criminals who are going to benefit.»
Instead, Pinzón said Washington should focus on targeted financial sanctions — such as those imposed by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) — to hit specific traffickers, corrupt officials and their enablers rather than imposing measures that «hurt regular Colombians.» «We would prefer OFAC-style sanctions on the people committing crimes,» he said, «not policies that punish those who oppose Petro’s agenda.»
Looking ahead to potential ties with Washington, Pinzón said he could quickly rebuild the partnership through renewed security and intelligence cooperation, technology exchange and educational programs.
«Petro has made himself an ally to Maduro’s regime, a narco-state, and a regime that is held mainly by the Cartel de los Soles,» Pinzón said. (LUIS ACOSTA/AFP via Getty Images)
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«I will just come to the U.S., speak openly and clearly with President Trump and the U.S. leadership, and speak on the need of creating a security agreement again on intelligence, on air mobility, on technology, on combating drug trade, but also on critical minerals and education,» he said. «We want more Colombians to come to U.S. schools and enhance their capabilities and come back to Colombia to create knowledge, wealth and prosperity. We’re going to be again the closest ally of the United States strategically in the region.»
If Colombia continues on its current course, Pinzón warned, it could destabilize the entire hemisphere. «Colombia is a stabilizer at the end,» he said. «If Colombia fails, the whole region will fail.»
Asked if he would seek U.S. backing, Pinzón said he values bipartisan support. «Everybody knows that I will have a very good relationship with the United States, certainly with the current administration, with President Trump,» he said.
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Pinzón also accused Petro of «abandoning» Colombian citizens during a diplomatic spat with Washington after refusing deportation flights from the U.S. because the migrants were shackled. He said he would cooperate on deportations and be open to broader agreements if asked.
«When Afghanistan fell, we offered the U.S. even to take care of some of the Afghanis if necessary,» Pinzón said. «When you have a strong relationship as the one we used to have between Colombia and the U.S., and we will have if I can get to the presidency, what we’re going to see is a lot of good coordination and a lot of good things for both the people of Colombia and the people of the United States.»
Fox News Digital reached out to the Colombian Embassy for comment but did not receive a response before publication.
latin america,foreign policy,venezuelan political crisis
INTERNACIONAL
Hamas entregó hasta ahora los cuerpos de 13 rehenes: quiénes son los cautivos cuyos restos aún están en Gaza
¿Quiénes son?
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Una persona marcha con la foto de Itay Chen. Foto: ReutersAmiram Cooper, 84 años
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Hadar Goldin, de 23 años. Foto: EFERan Gvili, 24 años
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Joshua Loitu Mollel, 21 años
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Funeral simbólico para despedir a Dror Or, en julio de 2014. Foto: AFPSudthisak Rinthalak
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Una heladera, una TV, un teléfono y las «serenatas» de otros presos: así es la minúscula celda donde encarcelaron a Nicolas Sarkozy en pleno corazón de París
El martes 21 de octubre, Nicolas Sarkozy marcó un hito en la historia de Francia: se convirtió en el primer expresidente en ser encarcelado desde el final de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Condenado a cinco años de prisión efectiva por financiar una campaña con dinero del dictador libio Gadafi, el exmandatario enfrentará su detención en el sector de aislamiento de la famosa prisión de la Santé, en pleno corazón de París.
Ubicada en el XIV arrondissement, entre la Place d’Italie y la Gare Montparnasse, la Santé es la única cárcel dentro de la ciudad. Allí, Sarkozy será alojado en una celda de 9 m² en el área de mayor seguridad del penal, un sector reservado para los detenidos considerados “vulnerables” o de alto perfil.
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Pocos lujos: así son por dentro las celdas de máxima seguridad de La Santé. (Foto: AFP).
Un régimen de aislamiento total y vigilancia permanente
El sector de aislamiento de la Santé es conocido por su seguridad extrema. Los internos permanecen completamente solos en sus celdas y, cuando salen para una breve caminata o para hacer algo de ejercicio, lo hacen sin compañía. Incluso en la biblioteca, la rutina es en soledad absoluta.
La senadora ecologista Anne Souyris visitó el lugar y describió el protocolo al sitio FranceInfo: “Cuando abren la celda, hay una trampa en la puerta. Los presos deben sacar las manos para que los esposen. Es realmente muy seguro”. La Santé es la única cárcel dentro de París. (Foto: AFP/Boris Horvat).
Las celdas son pequeñas, de apenas 9 metros cuadrados. Tienen una pequeña heladera, una cocina eléctrica rodeada de humedad, una televisión y un teléfono fijo en la pared.
El mobiliario es básico: una cama y, a veces, un colchón en el suelo para un segundo interno. Las condiciones, según los propios presos, dejan mucho que desear: “El problema es la ventilación de la ducha y la cocina. Las paredes se hinchan”, contó uno de ellos.
Una pequeña heladera, una cocina eléctrica y un teléfono fijo en la pared. Así es la celda donde detuvieron a Sarkozy. (Foto: gentileza France Info).
Sobrepoblación, violencia y un pasado de figuras polémicas
La Santé está sobrepoblada: aloja a 1237 detenidos, aunque su capacidad es de solo 657. Apenas una treintena de internos, menos del 3%, son considerados “vulnerables”, como Sarkozy.
Por el penal pasaron otros políticos famosos en Francia: Patrick Balkany, Claude Guéant, Bernard Tapie, el cantante Jean-Luc Lahaye y hasta el exjefe policial Michel Neyret.
Neyret, que estuvo ocho meses en aislamiento, recordó: “Las primeras noches, cada media hora te despiertan y prenden la luz para ver si no tenés pensamientos suicidas. Después, vienen las ‘serenatas’ de los otros presos, que gritan tu nombre toda la noche. Es el recibimiento que seguramente le espera a Sarkozy”.
Sarkozy será detenido en un sector para presos considerados «vulnerables». (Foto: gentileza France Info).
El clima puede ser hostil. Muchos internos seguramente no habrán olvidado las declaraciones del expresidente, que había prometido “limpiar la escoria con una hidrolavadora” o propuso la castración química para violadores. “Eso no le cayó bien a nadie. Nos sentíamos tratados como animales”, dijo un preso.
Leé también: Condenaron al expresidente Nicolás Sarkozy por financiar su campaña con dinero del dictador libio Gadafi
Privilegios, rutina y la posibilidad de libertad anticipada
A pesar del aislamiento, Sarkozy tendrá acceso a los mismos servicios que el resto de los internos de ese sector: tres visitas semanales, un teléfono fijo en la celda y dos salidas diarias al patio.
Sin embargo, la rutina es monótona y el tiempo pasa lento. “No hay actividades, solo una hora de deporte y una hora y media de paseo”, explicó Pierre Botton, un exempresario que estuvo dos veces en la Santé. Nicolás Sarkozy junto a su esposa, la modelo y cantante Carla Bruni. (Foto: AFP/Julien De Rosa).
Desde el primer día, el expresidente podrá pedir la libertad provisional ante la Cámara de Apelaciones. El tribunal tendrá hasta dos meses para responder.
Minutos antes de despedirse de su esposa, la cantante y modelo Carla Bruni, y de entregarse esta mañana, Sarkozy escribió en la red social X: “Esta mañana encierran a un inocente”. Denunció un “escándalo judicial” y un “viacrucis”, y aseguró: “La verdad triunfará, pero el precio a pagar habrá sido abrumador”.
Policías vigilan la cárcel de La Santé a la espera de la llegada de Nicolás Sarkozy. (Foto: REUTERS/Christian Hartmann).
Días atrás, contó al diario Le Figaro que entraría a la cárcel “con la cabeza alta”, acompañado por una biografía de Jesús y el clásico libro “El Conde de Montecristo”, símbolo de los inocentes injustamente condenados. Hojas para matar la soledad.
Nicolas Sarkozy, Francia, Cárceles, París
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