The Catholic Church chose its new leader, thus succeeding the Argentine Jorge Bergoglio, better known as Pope Francis, who died on April 21. On May 8, the new pontiff was chosen, Robert Francis Prevost Martinez, an American cardinal, who chose the name Leo XIV.
As a surprise to many, the 69-year-old has a strong connection with Latin America. In fact, there is an unknown link between the Falklands War and the Diocese where Pope Leo XIV served as a bishop for nearly 10 years. As a result, the new pontiff has a strong connection with the war conflict that began in 1982, which could not spell great news for the UK.
It turns out that in 2015, Prevost was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, holding this position until 2023. During his time in Peru, he acquired Peruvian nationality and currently has a valid identity card. He is the first pontiff with Peruvian citizenship to hold the position.
In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, one of the most influential positions in the Vatican structure. A year later, in 2024, he was elevated to the rank of cardinal. In his inaugural address to a packed St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV first thanked Francis, before moving on to address the faithful Peruvian town.
"And if you allow me a word, a greeting... to all of you, in particular, to my beloved diocese of Chiclayo in Peru," he said, "a faithful people has accompanied its bishop, has shared its faith and has given so much to continue being a faithful church of Jesus Christ."
The Falklands War broke out in 1982, a conflict between the UK and Argentina over the islands' claim of sovereignty. Peru was one of the few countries to publicly support Argentina and provided help until the end of the war, 74 days later. From the Diocese of Chiclayo, the 10 Mirage 5P fighter-bombers of the FAP on their way to Argentinean territory were blessed.
"These aircraft were in Chiclayo, 800 kilometres to the north, they flew to the base of La Joya, 20 kilometers from Arequipa, there they painted them with Argentine flags, and they manufactured the largest fuel tanks so that they could reach their destination," explained Victor Andrés García Belaunde, author of "Peru's intervention in the controversy of the Malvinas Islands" to Infobae.
"Ten Mirage 5s were sent, two with Exocet torpedoes, which the Navy had bought as a novelty."
According to the author, the planes arrived to participate, however, it was said they were not accompanied by Peruvian pilots into combat. When the Argentinian surrender came on June 14, the Peruvian Mirages didn’t have time to enter combat, although they reinforced the air security of Patagonia.
In 2019, the ambassador of Juntos por el Cambio (Together for Change) in Peru, Jorge Yoma, decorated the 34 Peruvian pilots who participated in the manoeuvre. The decoration took place at the Arequipa Palace in the presence of the national senator for Chubut, Alfredo Luenzo. He recalled that the Peruvian planes did not enter into combat, but thanked them for "having been two South American countries fighting for a continental cause and risking their own children in the battle by force of arms".
