Argentine presidential campaigns spar over pope's comments

Marcos Pena, campaign chairman for opposition candidate Mauricio Macri, criticized governing party candidate Daniel Scioli for comments implying that Argentine native Pope Francis was a supporter. The pope "clearly doesn't intervene in local politics," said Pena, who added that Scioli was being "disrespectful."
Speaking from Rome on Wednesday, Francis called on his compatriots to "vote their conscious." Scioli, who has often referred to the pope on the campaign trail, a few hours later provided an interpretation. He said the pope shared a "profound message" indicating that "people should seek out who they think will best defend them."

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Francis has not returned to his homeland since being named pope in 2013. The Vatican has said that is because the pope doesn't want to influence the election. Earlier this year, Francis said he sometimes "felt used" by local politicians who wanted to take their picture with him in Rome.
Thursday was the final legal day of campaigning ahead of Sunday's runoff election. Macri planned to close his campaign in Humahuaca, about 995 miles (1,600 kilometers) north of Buenos Aires. Scioli scheduled his final rally in La Matanza, a part of Buenos Aires province that is a bastion of support for the ruling party.

Associated Press writer Paul Byrne reported this story in Huacalera and AP writer Alumudena Calatrava reported from Buenos Aires, Argentina.