A day after Mexico’s government joined global leaders in mourning the death of Pope Francis, President Claudia Sheinbaum reiterated that the pontiff’s legacy would be his enduring message and belief in “love of your neighbor.”
Sheinbaum also announced that Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez would travel to Rome to represent Mexico at the pope’s funeral on Saturday.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum paid tribute to Pope Francis on Monday, describing him as a “humanist, and a man who was always close to the most humble, to the poor.” pic.twitter.com/KWXbwQxvrK
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 21, 2025
In a brief elegy, Sheinbaum described Francis as a humanist who sided with the meek and the poor, while promoting peace and equality. “For Catholics and even those who aren’t, this is a painful loss,” she said. “It was an honor and a privilege to have met him.”
Rodríguez, in a statement posted on X, lauded Francis’ propensity to use his words to promote world peace.
“It is with deep sorrow that we bid farewell … to the first Latin American pontiff, His Holiness Francis … leader of the #IglesiaCatólica since 2013, who always stood on the side of the poor and of justice.”
Other cabinet officials joined in lamenting the pope’s death.
In a social media post, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Pope Francis “was very kind to Mexico, we will always remember him with gratitude and appreciation.”
After announcing the news of the pope’s death, the Mexican Episcopal Conference, an organization of Catholic bishops, expressed profound gratitude for the gift of life and faith that Francis shared with Mexico.
On Monday, Mexico City’s Metropolitan Cathedral marked the pope’s death with a funeral tolling of its largest bell, the 29,000-pound Santa María de Guadalupe bell.
The death of the 88-year-old pontiff on Monday saddened Mexicans from all walks of life. Mexico is home to more than 90 million Catholics, second only to Brazil’s 123 million.
Pope Francis made a five-day visit to Mexico in February 2016, including the first-ever papal visit to the Ciudad Juárez-El Paso border area.
With reports from El Universal, Milenio and Infobae
