Santa Cruz, Bolivia, Jul 10 (Prensa Latina) Pope Francis visited today the Palmasola prison, outside this city, as part of the last activities of his agenda in this country, before leaving for Paraguay, the last stop of his tour of South America.

Thousands of people awaited His Holiness at the outside area of the prison and along the route, from the home of Cardinal Julio Terrazas, where he stayed, to the prison, to express him respect and admiration.

In the prison, His Holiness will establish direct contact with the prisoners, and will be interested in their situation, as established the program presented by the Bolivian Episcopal Conference.

After concluding his visit to Palmasola, Pope Francis will meet with Bolivian bishops and ecclesiastical authorities and shortly after, he will go to the Viru Viru International Airport, from where, aboard an Alitalia airplane, he will leave for Paraguay.

During his just 48-hour stay in Bolivia, Pope Francis spoke out several times for the need to care the family as the basic cell of society, and advocated that children are not on the street, and each person has a decent job and the care and protection of the elderly.

He also emphasized on the care of Mother Earth and the need to work for the common good and not for welfare, as well as he remembered that the Church should be beside the poor.

During the closing ceremony of the Second World Meeting of People's Movements held yesterday, the Pope apologized for the crimes committed against America's indigenous people on behalf of the Church, amid prolonged applause by the audience.