The Argentine pontiff, who is wrapping up his three-country tour of South America, has made defending the poor a major theme of his "homecoming" trip, which also took him to Ecuador and Bolivia, ranked among Latin America's poorest countries.
Pope Francis' Visit to Latin America
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An inmate stands behind the fence at Palmasola prison, decorated with a mural of Pope Francis that reads in Spanish: "Welcome who comes in the name of the Lord" as the pontiff visited prisoners in Santa Cruz, July 10, 2015.
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Pope Francis waves as he arrives at a meeting with priests and nuns in the Don Bosco school, in Santa Cruz, July 9, 2015.
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Pope Francis speaks to Bolivian President Evo Morales (right) during a World Meeting of Popular Movements in Santa Cruz, July 9, 2015.
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Pope Francis, wearing a helmet, blesses a woman as Bolivian President Evo Morales looks on during a World Meeting of Popular Movements in Santa Cruz, July 9, 2015.