Pope Benedict XVI Lands In Mexico

LEON, Guanajuato (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI has landed in Mexico to begin first trip to Spanish-speaking Latin America.

He has started a pilgrimage to the New World, calling on Mexicans to conquer an “idolatry of money” that feeds drug violence and urging Cuba to leave behind a Marxism that “no longer responds to reality.”

A swelling crowd gathered Friday afternoon along the route he plans to take after delivering a speech at the airport. day. On Monday, Benedict will head for Cuba, and said it is “evident that Marxist ideology as it was conceived no longer responds to reality,” and he urged Cubans to “find new models, with patience, and in a constructive way.”