CLARIN, LA NACION (Argentina), BBC MUNDO

Worldcrunch

VATICAN CITY- Pope Francis will meet Argentinian Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, the Vatican confirmed late Wednesday, as questions linger about the new pontiff's role during Argentina's military dictatorship.

Pérez Esquivel, who won the 1980 Peace Prize for his defense of Human Rights during the dictatorship, will meet with the new Argentine pontiff on Thursday, says Clarín.

Since he was elected Pope last week, the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires has come under renewed fire about longstanding allegations that he did not do enough to counter the Argentinian military dictatorship in the late 1970s and early 1980s -- accusations the Vatican has vigorously denied.

[Pérez Esquivel. Photo by Marcello Casal Jr. / Agência Brasil]

Soon after Bergoglio was elected, Pérez Esquivel stated that the new Pope hadn't been  involved with the military regime in Argentina, reports Buenos Aires based La Nacion. 

In a statement to BBC Mundo, Pérez Esquivel said that during the dictatorship some bishops were involved with the regime, but Bergoglio was not. He then went on to reiterate on his official Twitter page, though he did not necessarily given him a ringing endorsement either:

“I don't consider Bergoglio an accomplice of the dictatorship, but I believe he lacked the courage to accompany our fight for Human Rights.”