“I am following with concern what is happening in Ecuador,” Pope Francis said to pilgrims on June 26, amid violent unrest in the South American nation that he visited in 2015.

“I am near to the people and encourage all parties to abandon violence and extreme positions,” he added. Let us learn: only through dialogue can social peace be achieved—I hope soon—with particular attention to the marginalized populations and the poorest, but always respecting everyone’s rights and those of the country’s institutions.”