Moscow: Chilean President Gabriel Boric, Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chavez and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro have declared national mourning over the death of Pope Francis.
“In connection with his death, I have decided to declare three days of national mourning and send an official delegation to the Vatican for his funeral,” Boric said on X on Monday.
The Costa Rican presidential office said that Chavez declared four days of national mourning until April 24 in solidarity with the Catholic community following the death of Pope Francis. Maduro also declared national mourning until Thursday, according to a presidential decree.
On the same day, the Guatemalan government announced three days of national mourning in connection with the Pope’s death.
On Monday, the Holy See announced that Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, said that Pope Francis died at 5:35 GMT. The death was caused by a stroke and irreversible heart failure, Director of the Directorate of Health and Hygiene of the Vatican City State Andrea Arcangeli said.
On March 23, Pope Francis was discharged from the hospital after five weeks of treatment for pneumonia. He was prescribed long-term therapy and two months of rest.
