Argentine journalist Bernarda Llorente, who interviewed Pope Francis more times than anyone during his 13-year papacy, shared her memories and projects on the pontiff's legacy in a radio interview. She highlighted Francis's bravery in facing the civilizational crisis and his focus on fraternity and care for the discarded. She announced working on a book and documentary series as a moral duty.
In a conversation with Gabriela López on the #MujeresenlaJungla program on Radio Perfil AM 1190, Argentine journalist Bernarda Llorente reflected on her experience covering Pope Francis. As a political scientist and TV producer, Llorente described Francis as "an extraordinary being and also a being of enormous bravery", aware that civilization had reached its limits and needed collective construction against individualism.
The Pope's legacy, according to Llorente, includes fraternity, ecology to make the Earth livable, and concern for the "world of discard" and the dispossessed. She recalled her multiple interviews, including the last one in October of last year, and their joint project for a book and documentary series. "One thing was with Francis alive, to whom I could turn with any doubt, and another is Francis's legacy, his absence, I miss him a lot", she expressed. In one of the last interactions, Francis told her: "I have a lot of trust in you", which gives her great responsibility. Llorente sees this work as "a moral duty and a commitment I have".
Llorente also addressed women's roles in journalism, mentioning the glass ceiling in areas like economy and politics, though she was the first president of Télam, the only woman in charge of a news agency worldwide at the time. On current television, she noted a transition: in Argentina, quality is shrinking, while globally there is investment in creative platforms. She cited her program Televisión por la Identidad, which helped recover more than ten grandchildren of the disappeared.
Finally, she warned about the democracy crisis in Argentina and the world, with lack of separation of powers, Justice manipulation, and phenomena like La Libertad Avanza, part of a global far-right. "We are capable at a planetary level of reinventing democracy with greater participation, with greater equity", she concluded.