Pope Francis has warned against drug legalization plans in Latin America during the inauguration of a clinic for drug addicts in Rio de Janeiro.
The roots of drug abuse should be tackled, he said on the third day of his visit to Brazil.
Uruguay is close to allowing the legal sale of marijuana, with other countries pondering similar liberalization.
Earlier, the Argentine-born pontiff celebrated the first Mass of his trip, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida.
He warned tens of thousands of faithful against the “passing idols” of money, power and pleasure.
After the visit to Aparecida, in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, the pope flew back to Rio de Janeiro.
At the inauguration of a drug rehabilitation clinic at the Sao Francisco hospital, he hugged former addicts and heard their stories.
Pope Francis has warned against drug legalization plans in Latin America during the inauguration of a clinic for drug addicts in Rio de Janeiro
“It is necessary to tackle the problems which are at the root of drug abuse, promoting more justice, educating the youth with the values that live in society, standing by those who face hardship and giving them hope for the future,” Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis also warned against plans to legalize drugs in Latin America and condemned drug-traffickers.
“How many dealers of death there are that follow the logic of power and money at any cost! The scourge of drug-trafficking, that favors violence and sows the seeds of suffering and death, requires of society as a whole an act of courage,” he said.
Leaders in Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador and others have spoken for softer stances on drugs policy.
In Uruguay, a project decriminalizing marijuana sale is set to be voted in Congress next week.
President Jose Mujica says its main goal is combating drug trafficking.
On Monday Pope Francis faced chaotic scenes as he arrived in Rio de Janeiro.
The pontiff is in Brazil to attend the Roman Catholic World Youth Day festival. It is his first trip abroad since becoming head of the Catholic Church in March.
The highlight of the five-day festival will be a prayer service on Rio’s iconic Copacabana Beach on Thursday.
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Pope Francis has arrived at the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo to hold the first Mass of his trip to Latin America.
The pontiff traveled to the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida by plane and helicopter.
On Monday Pope Francis faced chaotic scenes when crowds mobbed his car as he arrived in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
He is in Brazil to attend the Roman Catholic World Youth Day festival. It is his first trip abroad since becoming head of the Catholic Church in March.
The highlight of the five-day festival will be a prayer service led by Pope Francis on Rio’s iconic Copacabana Beach on Thursday.
The pontiff’s visit is taking place under tight security, after weeks of protests against the government and corruption.
Thousands of pilgrims arrived in the rural town of Aparecida ahead of Wednesday’s Mass, scheduled to take place at 10:30 local time at the basilica holding the shrine.
A homemade explosive device was discovered there on Sunday, but authorities said it was “of low power” and not near the area where the Pope and pilgrims will visit.
Pope Francis has arrived at the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo to hold the first Mass of his trip to Latin America
The Vatican later insisted that the discovery was no cause for concern.
Pope Francis is expected to fly back to Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday afternoon to visit a hospital and address young people taking part in a drug rehabilitation program.
On Tuesday, around 400,000 Roman Catholics joined a ceremony on Copacabana Beach to mark the opening of World Youth Day.
There was transport chaos shortly before the event when the Rio metro system was brought to a standstill for two hours by a power cut.
Crowds of people hoping to attend the Mass were left stranded, while others crammed onto buses and taxis heading to the beach.
Travel chaos also ensued on Monday when the pontiff’s car became stuck in one of Rio’s infamous traffic jams, after his driver reportedly took the wrong turn and missed lanes that had been cleared by the security services.
Correspondents said Brazil was reviewing security around the pontiff following the incident.
Pope Francis, who is from neighboring Argentina, was officially welcomed at the state governor’s palace by Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff on Monday.
However, police later fired tear gas to disperse people who were demonstrating outside. They were protesting against the government and also against the cost of the papal visit.
More than a million young Catholics are expected to gather in Rio for World Youth Day, which takes place every two years, and is a celebration of the Catholic faith.
Some 30,000 army and police are on duty throughout the Pope’s visit.
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Pope Francis has been greeted by tens of thousands of Brazilian pilgrims as he toured Rio de Janeiro in an open car and then met President Dilma Rousseff at the state governor’s palace.
After the pontiff left, police fired tear gas to disperse protests against both the government and the cost of the visit.
Pope Francis is in Brazil to attend the Roman Catholic World Youth Day festival.
In a speech soon after his arrival, the Pope urged young Catholics to “make disciples of all nations”.
“I came to meet young people coming from all over the world, drawn to the open arms of Christ the Redeemer,” he said at the governor’s palace, referring to Rio’s famous vast statue of Jesus.
“They want to find a refuge in his embrace, right near his heart to hear his call clearly and powerfully.”
About an hour after the welcoming ceremony, police fired stun grenades and tear gas against the demonstrators outside the palace.
It was the latest rally against what the protesters described as endemic government corruption across the country.
But some were also unhappy about $53 million in public fund being spent for the pontiff’s visit.
There was little damage and few arrests, but it was a reminder that there is still a real possibility the pontiff’s high-profile visit to a huge Catholic festival in Rio could be overshadowed by political events.
Crowds mobbed Pope Francis’ car in Rio de Janeiro as it made its way from the airport
In a separate development, the military said a homemade explosive device had been discovered at a shrine between Rio and Sao Paulo that the Pope is due to visit on Wednesday.
The device at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Conception of Aparecida was described as being “of low power” and was destroyed.
As Pope Francis disembarked from the Alitalia plane in Rio’s airport earlier on Monday, he was welcomed by President Dilma Rousseff to cheers and applause from the waiting crowd. A choir sang an anthem linked to Youth Day and he was presented with a bouquet of flowers.
The Pope waved before being taken by motorcade to the centre of Rio, where thousands of pilgrims have gathered.
Pope Francis looked relaxed and jovial as he was driven into Rio de Janeiro in a modest family car, with the window wound down and security officials struggling to keep back the crowds.
There were chaotic scenes as his car became stuck in one of the city’s infamous traffic jams, after the pope’s driver reportedly took the wrong turn and missed lanes that had been cleared by the security services.
Crowds immediately gathered round the vehicle hoping to catch a glimpse or touch Pope Francis. One woman passed her baby through the window for a kiss from the Holy Father.
Once in the city centre, the Pope switched to an open-air Popemobile, waving at the tens of thousands who lined the streets he travelled through.
The authorities have increased security during the Pope’s seven-day visit, following weeks of nationwide protests against corruption and bad governance.
Pope Francis refused to use an armored Popemobile, despite requests from Brazilian officials. Some 30,000 security staff – army and police are on duty throughout his visit.
More than a million young Catholics are expected to gather in Rio for World Youth Day, which takes place every two years, and is a celebration of the Catholic faith.
The Argentina-born Pope – who became head of the Catholic Church in March – is due to lead a prayer service on Copacabana beach on Thursday. He will also visit one of Rio’s shanty towns.
Speaking to reporters on his flight from Rome, the Pope said young people were “at this moment are in crisis,” in an apparent reference to the continuing economic crisis across Europe.
“We run the risk of having a generation that hasn’t worked,” he said, even though work confers dignity.
Pope Francis also criticized what he said was a “culture” of socially rejecting the elderly who were “thrown away” as if they had nothing to offer.
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