BUENOS AIRES, April 24 — Pope Francis, who has not visited his home country Argentina since he left for the Vatican a decade ago, said he planned to visit in 2024, local media reported yesterday.

"I always wanted to return,” Francis told Argentina’s La Nacion newspaper.

If the visit takes place, he would travel a year after the general elections next October.

"Don’t link me to Argentine politics, please,” the leader of the world’s nearly 1.4 billion Roman Catholics is quoted as saying.

The Vatican was not immediately available for comment.

The pope’s homeland is battling 100 per cent annual inflation and near 40 per cent poverty.

Francis is the first Latin American leader of the Catholic Church. While he has not yet returned to Argentina, he has made multiple trips abroad, including Africa. — Reuters