UN General Assembly
1978

﻿191. As the representative of a deeply Catholic country I wish to express here before the world community our astonishment and our grief at the death of His Holiness Pope John Paul I. His goodness and generosity of heart had assured us of a pontificate devoted to the humble people of this world, who clamour for their social and human redemption. 192. Mr. President, Venezuela, a country which admires you, joins all Latin Americans in expressing our justifiable satisfaction at seeing you presiding over our debates. As one of the best biographers of Simon Bolivar and a great historian of the struggles of our people, you will, we know, lend a sympathetic ear to the utterances of the spokesmen of the third world, since we have in you, as President of the General Assembly, someone who understands us, pays heed to us and shares our ideas and concerns. You are an honour to your country, Colombia; you are an honour to Latin America; you are an honour to the General Assembly.