On Tuesday, Pope Francis condemned nationalist leaders who blames migrants for their country's problems and themselves, creating mistrust in society because of their xenophobic, racist and dishonest policies.
The pope's statement was a part of his message for the Catholic Church's World Day of Peace on January. It is sent to all heads of state and goverment, as well as leaders of international organizations. It also comes at a time when immigration is a serious topic in many countries such as the United States, Hungary, Italy and Germany.
"Political addresses that tend to blame every evil on migrants and to deprive the poor of hope are unacceptable," said the pope in his letter.
He said today's times were "marked by a climate of mistrust rooted in the fear of others or of strangers, or anxiety about one's personal security."
Francis said it was sad that mistrust was "also seen at the political level, in attitudes of rejection or forms of nationalism that call into question the fraternity of which our globalized world has such great need."
Last week, the pope praised the United Nations' first Global Compact on Migration, which sets objectives for how the management of migration can be improved. Sadly, several nations did not attend the meeting, which included the US, Hungary and Italy.
Francis also denounced a list of "vices" by politicians, who he said undermined authentic democracy and brought disgrace to public life through various forms of corruption. These vices include dishonest gain, racism, and resource misappropriation.
He proposed eight "Beatitudes of the Politician" - first formulated by the late Vietnamese Cardinal Francois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan - as a guide for the behavior of public office holders.
These, he said, would set goals for politicians who should understand their roles very well, show great credibility, introduce change and work for the good of all.
