Trump administration accused of 'exploiting' Pope ahead of US Presidential Election 2020

With US Presidential Election just around corner, Trump administration has been accused of exploiting Pope Francis in final weeks of campaign. As per Guardian report, a top Vatican official has accused US President of trying to exploit  Holy Far in run-up to elections. 

Read: Pompeo Urges Vatican To Reject China Rights Abuses

Vatican official accuses Trump administration 

According to reports, US embassy in Italy organised a conference on religious freedom on Wednesday, September 30 with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaking at event.

When Vatican’s secretary for relations with States Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher was asked if organisation of such an event amounted to exploitation of Pope, he said that it did since event was so close to election. Archbishop Gallagher is reported to have told local press that US Secretary of State was denied request to meet with Pope during his recent visit.

Read: Pompeo Arrives In Rome Amid Rift With Vatican

As per reports, Pope did t meet US Secretary of State during his visit this week claiming that meeting would be too close to elections, but many have speculated that meeting was denied due to Pompeo’s recent attacks directed at Vatican for its alleged soft stance on China’s human rights abuse reports. China and Vatican are due to extend a historic deal that was made two years ago, details of which haven't been made public, but it supposedly gives Beijing some control over appointment of Catholic bishops in China.

According to reports, during his visit, Pompeo held a meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio. In  press conference that followed, Pompeo said that  two officers had a detailed conversation over US concerns about China trying to lever its ecomic presence in Italy to serve its own strategic purposes.

(Im Credits: AP)

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