MEXICO / CUBA : 23 March UPDATE: Analysis: Some Claim Pope Benedict Will Avoid DF Because Of 'Altitude'...And Attitude; Will Visit Help Calderon's PAN?

         NEW LINK/ ANALYSIS:
http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/2012/03/23/mexicos-papal-visit-will-the-ruling-party-get-a-benedict-blessing-or-backlash/

      As Pope Benedict 16...makes his first visit to Spanish speaking Latin America...with a stop in the deeply conservative and Catholic state of Guanajuato...without even a stopover in Mexico City...some speculate that the Vatican is snubbing the liberal DF...because of its approval of gay marriage, abortion, divorce and deep love for the popular last Pope John Paul 2...not just because of its high 'altitude'...but its bad attitude.

     Pope JP2 visited the Mexico 5 times...and is revered there...as he hurtles toward sainthood. 
     His historic 1998 visit to Cuba partially exposed the communist island nation to more religious freedom.
    Pope Benedict will also visit Cuba on the 6-day tour...though no meeting with Fidel or Raul Castro is scheduled.
    Pope Benedict, 84...will be urging Mexican priests to become more vigilant about narco donations to churches...while his visit also lends support to Mexico's devout Catholic President Felipe Calderon and his flagging PAN party...just ahead of the July election.
   He will be guarded by at least 13,000 troops and federal police.


      TO READ: Pope Overview Trip Report:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ia2jmUZXMtyKjKDwwArkWWeD4L6g?docId=e09e3b526fa047cb81f645853cbe95e7

      FOR NARCO DONATIONS Report:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/22/popes-visit-mexico-narco-church