Argentine faithful hope the next Pope to be like Pope Francis, as cardinals are set to start the conclave Wednesday to elect his successor. Pope Francis was the first from Latin America, rising to the highest seat of the church from his native Argentina in 2013 and was seen as a staunch defender of the poor.

After the death of Francis in Argentina, there is ongoing debate about why the Pope never visited his homeland. Despite declaring his attachment to the country, he avoided visiting, fearing the political consequences in a deeply divided society.