Quito, July 06 (teleSUR-RHC) Pope Francis continued his campaign to uplift the poor in his first speech, saying that as a representative of the Catholic Church, he cannot disassociate himself from the struggles of the underprivileged.

President Rafael Correa and other officials welcomed the Pope at his arrival in Quito on Sunday.

“The Ecuadorean people has stood up with dignity,” the Pontiff said. Pope Francis has been holding a continued discourse of social justice toward the poor.

The Pope’s visit to the South American country comes amid a series of month-long opposition protests, which have been at times violent. The opposition took to the streets after President Correa announced two tax laws aiming to redistribution wealth.
Correa reiterated the Pope’s call for uplifting the poor and redistributing wealth. “This continent is said to be the most Christian, but we are actually the most unequal one,” the president said. “The poor cannot keep on picking the crumbs of the rich, he added. ”You have to defend redistribution of wealth.”

The Pope will remain in the Andean country until Wednesday, before visiting Bolivia and Paraguay.