During his apostolic visit to Peru, the Holy Father referred to the rivers of the Amazon and the communities that depend on these regions, emphasizing the need to protect nature, care for resources, and anticipate the risks that threaten the lives of the people.
As part of his apostolic visit to Peru, Pope Leo XIV devoted special attention to the Amazon region in his address to government officials, civil society, and the diplomatic corps, delivered on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at the Gran Teatro Nacional in Lima.
Referring to the country’s geographic and cultural diversity, the Pontiff noted that “the rivers of the Amazon, the Andean highlands, and the extensive coastline shape the lives of numerous communities and the work of their inhabitants.” With these words, he acknowledged the importance of the Amazonian territories in shaping Peru’s social, economic, and cultural life.
The Holy Father emphasized that the use of natural resources—through activities such as agriculture, fishing, and mining—must be carried out with a sense of responsibility and respect. In this regard, he affirmed that it is necessary to “care for nature and respect the communities that depend on it,” echoing the perspective of Pope Francis’s encyclical *Laudato si’*.
Understanding the Territories to Protect Life
In his remarks, Leo XIV also highlighted the importance of understanding each territory in order to anticipate the risks posed by natural phenomena and protect the populations. This task, he said, requires committed institutions capable of preventing such risks and acting promptly when a life is in danger.
The Pope also recognized the value of the solidarity shown by Peruvians in the face of emergencies and raised the need to strengthen institutional capacities to respond to these situations.
His reflection takes on special relevance for the Amazon, a region where communities face multiple challenges related to environmental changes, threats to their ecosystems, and the vulnerable conditions of their populations.
A Shared Responsibility Among Nations
The Pontiff expanded his reflection to the international arena and recalled that protecting the environment requires collaboration among nations. He emphasized that, due to its Andean and Amazonian geography and its access to the Pacific, Peru maintains ties with neighboring nations and with peoples on other continents.
He also noted that issues such as environmental protection and migratory movements are best addressed through dialogue and cooperation.
These words represent an invitation to continue promoting a holistic view of the region, one that recognizes the close relationship between nature, peoples, and their cultures, as well as the collective responsibility to protect life.
CEAMA recognizes in this call an opportunity to strengthen the commitment to a Church with an Amazonian face—one that is close to communities, attentive to their challenges, and committed to caring for our Common Home.
Pope Leo XIV’s reference to the Amazonian rivers and the communities that inhabit their territories serves as a reminder that the future of the Amazon is closely linked to the defense of human dignity, the protection of nature, and the development of responses rooted in solidarity to socio-environmental challenges.