Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Appears on Telemundo

September 8, 2015

Jorge: Today, we have an interview the Mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, who tells us how the Big Apple is getting ready for the papal visit. Ricardo Villarini has more details in this exclusive Telemundo News 47 interview.

Ricardo: Jorge, Yaima, it’s common knowledge that the mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio — in his own words — doesn’t consider himself to be a religious man; however, during our interview, it was evident that he’s inspired by the visit of Pope Francis, whom he described as the conscience of today’s world.

Ricardo: Hi.

Mayor de Blasio: Hi, how are you?

Ricardo: The mayor welcomed us with a certain enthusiasm this morning in the Blue Room at City Hall, but his excitement was more evident when we started asking him about the visit of Pope Francis in the Big Apple.

Mayor de Blasio: I’m excited; I see the people’s excitement all over the city. I dreamt of a papal visit, but I didn’t know it was going to become true, and I’m excited because it was all so soon…

Ricardo: … said the mayor, who had asked Cardinal Dolan and even took the formal invitation to the Vatican during his vacation in Rome last year. The visit couldn’t be timelier, insisted the mayor, assuring that Pope Francis’ vision is consistent with the City’s current direction.

Mayor de Blasio: We’re defending immigrants, fighting inequality, and committed to look for solutions to poverty — exactly what Pope Francis is asking everyone and every government to do, and I think he’ll find that his message is being listened to in New York City. In terms of security for the papal visit, he didn’t offer details, but expressed his trust in the preparation of law enforcement agencies to do their job effectively.

Mayor de Blasio: Our national government and the police are ahead of evildoers, and they have this impressive ability to see danger and stop it before it occurs. Let’s keep in mind that this is not the first papal visit. As for what the visit represents for him — a mayor who has said that he considers himself to be a spiritual but not religiously active person — he described it as an event of great joy in his life.

Mayor de Blasio: It’s heartening; it’s heartening. While I didn’t grow up as a religiously active person, I have a lot of respect for the Catholic church; so, it’s certainly encouraging, and it will be an spiritual and cultural experience for me; for many, this pope also represents an awakening because of his energy and consistency in reaching out to people in so many different ways, and for being more receptive about the inclusion of women who’ve had abortions, as well as members of the gay community. In short, that this is one church for all…

Ricardo: … A message, he said, that many didn’t get from the church in the past. It was evident, no doubt, that New York’s Mayor Bill de Blasio finds inspiration in the vision of Pope Francis, whom he respects deeply — he said — especially for his humility and even for this good sense of humor. We are all very excited about the visit, and also about our coverage. Jorge, Yaima, back to you.

Yaima: Precisely, Ricardo. Remember that News 47 will have full coverage of the papal visit to the US — you’ll find the best coverage right here.