Brazil: Two cardinals behind a “campaign” during the conclave

The remarks of a cardinal – who wishes to remain anonymous – published by the Brazilian daily O Globo on December 26, have revealed that Cardinals Alfonso Lopez Trujillo (Colombia), president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, and Jorge Arturo Medina Estévez (Chile), were the principal actors in “a campaign led before and during the Conclave” last April.

 “When we (elector cardinals) arrived in Rome, the two prelates had organized meetings and meals. During conversations they made it evident that they had previously consulted Cardinal Ratzinger,” who had given “the green light for this campaign,” said the anonymous elector. The Cardinals Lopez Trujillo and Medina Estevez had guaranteed that in the case of election Cardinal Ratzinger would accept his new responsibility, he added, specifying that Cardinal Christoph Schönborn (Austria) also took part in this campaign.