Pope Francis received President Daniel Noboa of Ecuador on May 13. The visit came a month after Noboa gained notoriety—and international condemnation—for ordering the storming of the Mexican embassy to arrest the nation’s former vice president, who was a fugitive there.
The Ecuador Times reported that Noboa discussed his decisions with respect to “security, employment, and competitiveness.” The Pontiff reportedly told Noboa, “Courage,” with Noboa responding, “We will continue fighting.”
Noboa then met with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations. Noting good bilateral relations, the parties discussed “the current socio-political situation, with particular reference to youth employment, and to issues regarding public security and migration,” according to a Vatican statement.
The South American nation of 17.5 million (map) is 95% Christian (84% Catholic). Pope Francis made an apostolic journey there in 2015.