New Pope, Jorge Bergoglio, is Argentinian · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Argentinian Jesuit Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio is the new Pope of the Catholic Church. Starting today, March 13, 2013, Bergoglio will be known around the world as Pope Francis.
Netizens were quick to react to the announcement that for the first time an Argentinian, and a Latin American, will be leading the Catholic Church.
From Buenos Aires, Rodrigo Hernán Torres (@RodrigoH_Torre) [es] wrote:
@RodrigoH_Torre:#Bergoglio es nuestro nuevo Papa FELICITACIONES! Y todo el exito en este nuevo desafio y camino que comienza, es un momento historico
@RodrigoH_Torre:#Bergoglio is our Pope, CONGRATULATIONS! And I wish him all the best in this new challenge and path which is just starting, during a historic time.
Jorge Bergoglio, image from Wikimedia Commons
Several users have been relating the news to football, like Aaron Zamost (@zamosta) who referred to Diego Armando Maradona's “hand of God”:
@zamosta; Pope Francis is only the second most famous Argentinian to know the hand of God. http://bit.ly/KpI47u
Even US-based TV presenter Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) had something to say about Argentinian football:
@piersmorgan: Argentina now has the No1 Catholic, and No1 footballer, on the planet. #Bergoglio #Messi
On a more serious note, Caren Kalafatich (@CarenKalafatich) [es] tweeted:
@CarenKalafatich: Somos argentinos, y es nuestra esencia: Festejamos un “Papa” pq es “argentino” y no hablamos de #Bergoglio como hombre y su conservadurismo
@CarenKalafatich: We are from Argentina, and this is our essence: We celebrate a “Pope” because he is “Argentinian” and we don't talk about #Bergoglio as a man and his conservatism.
Several users are questioning the new Pope's alleged involvement in Argentina's 1976-1983 dictatorship, like Guillermo Prein (@GuillermoPrein) [es]:
@GuillermoPrein: El Cadernal #Bergoglio elegido Papa a pesar de su no explicada participación en ella última dictadura y del cerco a pederastas como Grassi
@GuillermoPrein: Cadinal #Bergoglio elected Pope in spite of his unexplained participation in the last dictatorship and the “fence” around pedophiles like Grassi
We will bring you more coverage of citizens’ reactions and analysis from Argentina and Latin America. Stay tuned.