The United Nations regional organization’s Executive Secretary, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, sent a letter of condolence to the Holy See.

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) deeply laments the death of His Holiness Pope Francis, the first Latin American Pontiff, and extends its condolences to the Holy See, the Catholic people and all those who found ethical and humanistic guidance for building a more just world in his message. 

Pope Francis stood out for his strong commitment to social justice, human dignity and the fight against inequality – values that we in the United Nations system fully share. His teachings had a profound impact in Latin America and the Caribbean, the region in which he was born and for which he always had deep pastoral and social concern. 

His encyclicals Laudato si’ (2015) and Fratelli tutti (2020) are critical milestones in contemporary ethical reflection. In these texts, His Holiness called on us to forge a new pact of shared responsibility to care for our common home and to build a brotherhood without borders, based on solidarity, dialogue and mutual respect.

“Pope Francis’s teachings have been a steady source of inspiration to those of us working to achieve sustainable development, reduce inequality and foster more inclusive societies. His voice has left an indelible mark on recent history,” José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, affirmed.

ECLAC joins the international community in mourning this loss, paying tribute to the life and work of a spiritual leader who was able to raise the voice of the most vulnerable and remind us, with simplicity and resolve, that a better world is possible.