VATICAN CITY
The Guardian

Lizzy Davies in Vatican City
guardian.co.uk, Friday 15 March 2013

The Vatican has hit out at what it calls an “anti-clerical, leftwing” campaign against the newly elected Pope Francis, strongly rejecting accusations concerning his actions during Argentina’s brutal military dictatorship.

In a statement delivered at a press briefing on Friday, Federico Lombardi, the pope’s spokesman, said the allegations against Jorge Bergoglio, who until Wednesday was simply the archbishop of Buenos Aires, “must be clearly and firmly denied”.

“There has never been a concrete or credible accusation in his regard. Argentinian justice interrogated him once … but he was never charged with anything,” he added. “He documented his denials of the accusations against him. There are also many declarations that show how Bergoglio tried to protect many people in his time during the military dictatorship. His role is very clearly noted.”

The Roman Catholic church…