This article was published in today’s issue of Italian newspaper “La Stampa”
Vallejo and Chaouqui: The odd couple and old power intrigues
Luis Angel Vallejo Balda and Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui.
The Pope had previously tried to clip the wings of this ambitious
and unscrupulous duo.
ANDREA TORNIELLI VATICAN CITY
After what was a very intense month for
the life of the Church and the
Synod of bishops, albeit marked by negative moments such as the false
news about the Pope’s supposed illness, the Vatileaks scandal exploded once again. Or rather one final last-ditch effort in the old Vatileaks scandal.
It exploded again with the scandalous arrests
of Spanish monsignor, Luis Angel Vallejo Balda, Secretary of
the Vatican audit office and PR woman Francesca Immacolata
Chaouqui. The two have been accused of leaking the content
of letters on the Vatican’s finances, which they swore to keep secret,
content which is to appear in two books that are soon to be published.
They are also accused of providing recordings of Francis’
conversations with his collaborators. But behind these
accusations is a story that began one sultry July two years ago.
Synod of bishops, albeit marked by negative moments such as the false
news about the Pope’s supposed illness, the Vatileaks scandal exploded once again. Or rather one final last-ditch effort in the old Vatileaks scandal.
It exploded again with the scandalous arrests
of Spanish monsignor, Luis Angel Vallejo Balda, Secretary of
the Vatican audit office and PR woman Francesca Immacolata
Chaouqui. The two have been accused of leaking the content
of letters on the Vatican’s finances, which they swore to keep secret,
content which is to appear in two books that are soon to be published.
They are also accused of providing recordings of Francis’
conversations with his collaborators. But behind these
accusations is a story that began one sultry July two years ago.
The two individuals responsible for
leaking the documents, claim
they
acted in order “to help the Pope”, to “win the war” against
cliques that opposed change and transparency. But Francis can’t
have been overjoyed by their generous help, given that he gave his
personal approval for the arrests of this odd couple, whose involvement
in the whole affair did not surprise many in the Vatican.
acted in order “to help the Pope”, to “win the war” against
cliques that opposed change and transparency. But Francis can’t
have been overjoyed by their generous help, given that he gave his
personal approval for the arrests of this odd couple, whose involvement
in the whole affair did not surprise many in the Vatican.
In
July 2013, Vallejo managed to get Chaouqui appointed to the commission that
was to handle the most confidential of documents on
Vatican finances. The two have very close ties: he presented himself as
“the Pope’s treasurer”, she as “the Pope’s commissioner”. The
incarnation of a new course, made of transparency and many
friendships with people who matter in the economic, media and
political spheres. Now, the Vatican Gendarmerie is keeping a close eye
on the 54-year-old Spanish monsignor with links to the Opus Dei, who
aspired to become the Holy See’s key figure in the economic sphere,
who is being held in a cell in the Vatican. He holds his head in his hands
and is concerned about his elderly mother with whom
he – an only son – lived up until three days ago in Rome. Meanwhile,
33-year-old, Francesca Immacolata, from San Sosti in Italy’s Calabria
region, a young and ambitious woman capable of opening the doors
of the Vatican to international consulting firms and VIP acquaintances,
was held in a Salesian nuns’ residence in the Vatican for one night
before being released.
Vatican finances. The two have very close ties: he presented himself as
“the Pope’s treasurer”, she as “the Pope’s commissioner”. The
incarnation of a new course, made of transparency and many
friendships with people who matter in the economic, media and
political spheres. Now, the Vatican Gendarmerie is keeping a close eye
on the 54-year-old Spanish monsignor with links to the Opus Dei, who
aspired to become the Holy See’s key figure in the economic sphere,
who is being held in a cell in the Vatican. He holds his head in his hands
and is concerned about his elderly mother with whom
he – an only son – lived up until three days ago in Rome. Meanwhile,
33-year-old, Francesca Immacolata, from San Sosti in Italy’s Calabria
region, a young and ambitious woman capable of opening the doors
of the Vatican to international consulting firms and VIP acquaintances,
was held in a Salesian nuns’ residence in the Vatican for one night
before being released.
Investigators say the two provided all
the material for “Avarizia” and
“Via Crucis”, two books written by Emiliano Fittipaldi and Gianluigi
Nuzzi respectively. The two authors also say they are convinced that
the publication of these texts “will help the Pope”. A Pope who by now
has to deal with these kinds of “helpers” on a daily basis.
“Via Crucis”, two books written by Emiliano Fittipaldi and Gianluigi
Nuzzi respectively. The two authors also say they are convinced that
the publication of these texts “will help the Pope”. A Pope who by now
has to deal with these kinds of “helpers” on a daily basis.
There
are two dates that point to the origin of this last ditch
effort linked to the old Vatileaks scandal. Even back then, in a
series of anonymous newspaper interviews, Francesca Chaouqui backed
the “poison pen letter writers”, corroborating the importance of the letters
leaked by the former Pope’s butler.
effort linked to the old Vatileaks scandal. Even back then, in a
series of anonymous newspaper interviews, Francesca Chaouqui backed
the “poison pen letter writers”, corroborating the importance of the letters
leaked by the former Pope’s butler.
The
first is 18 July 2013. Francis published a motu proprio for the
establishment of the commission on economic and administrative
problems of the Holy See (COSEA): Vallejo was appointed secretary and
to the surprise of the team in charge of screening accounts and
management problems in Vatican offices and dicasteries, Chaouqui was
also nominated thanks to her friend, the monsignor. Her appointment was immediately seen as too convenient: the young woman wrote a series of
insolent tweets against Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone and former minister
Tremonti (she would later deny having written hem, claiming hackers had
got into her account, only to then delete them after they had been
online for months). She made no attempt to keep her links with gossip
website Dagospia a secret and made completely unfounded conjectures
about Benedict XVI allegedly having “leukaemia”. In an interview
published on the online version of Italian news magazine L’Espresso, she announced she had access to “confidential” Vatican “papers” and that
she was a good friend of Nuzzi’s. But controversies soon died down and
due to the nature of her role, Chaouqui was able to freely come and go
from Saint Martha’s
House.
establishment of the commission on economic and administrative
problems of the Holy See (COSEA): Vallejo was appointed secretary and
to the surprise of the team in charge of screening accounts and
management problems in Vatican offices and dicasteries, Chaouqui was
also nominated thanks to her friend, the monsignor. Her appointment was immediately seen as too convenient: the young woman wrote a series of
insolent tweets against Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone and former minister
Tremonti (she would later deny having written hem, claiming hackers had
got into her account, only to then delete them after they had been
online for months). She made no attempt to keep her links with gossip
website Dagospia a secret and made completely unfounded conjectures
about Benedict XVI allegedly having “leukaemia”. In an interview
published on the online version of Italian news magazine L’Espresso, she announced she had access to “confidential” Vatican “papers” and that
she was a good friend of Nuzzi’s. But controversies soon died down and
due to the nature of her role, Chaouqui was able to freely come and go
from Saint Martha’s
House.
The
second date is 3 March 2014. On this day, having established the Secretariat
for the Economy and nominated Australian cardinal George Pell
as the new Prefect, Francis announced the name of the dicastery’s number
two man. Instead of appointing Vallejo Balda, as Pell had requested and
believed to be certain, right up until the last moment, the Pope surprised
everyone by choosing Alfred Xuereb. This came as a big blow to the Vallejo-Chaouqui duo. The Spanish prelate was convinced the position was in the
bag. He had even imprudently confirmed it on a Spanish radio programme.
No appointments for “commissioner” Francesca Immacolata either: while
five COSEA members took up their positions in a new Vatican body, the
Council for the Economy, she was left empty-handed. From this moment
on, the PR woman and her tunic-clad talent scout felt they were
“at war” and identified Pell as their great enemy. The friction
between the Secretariat for the Economy, the Secretariat of State and
the other dicasteries of the Holy See was no figment of the imagination.
Francis himself intervened on a number of occasions to cut back certain
powers and clearly outline duties. But for this odd couple “at war”, this
was not enough.
as the new Prefect, Francis announced the name of the dicastery’s number
two man. Instead of appointing Vallejo Balda, as Pell had requested and
believed to be certain, right up until the last moment, the Pope surprised
everyone by choosing Alfred Xuereb. This came as a big blow to the Vallejo-Chaouqui duo. The Spanish prelate was convinced the position was in the
bag. He had even imprudently confirmed it on a Spanish radio programme.
No appointments for “commissioner” Francesca Immacolata either: while
five COSEA members took up their positions in a new Vatican body, the
Council for the Economy, she was left empty-handed. From this moment
on, the PR woman and her tunic-clad talent scout felt they were
“at war” and identified Pell as their great enemy. The friction
between the Secretariat for the Economy, the Secretariat of State and
the other dicasteries of the Holy See was no figment of the imagination.
Francis himself intervened on a number of occasions to cut back certain
powers and clearly outline duties. But for this odd couple “at war”, this
was not enough.
In April last year, during the ceremony
for the canonization of Popes
John and John Paul, Vallejo and Chaouqui committed yet another faux
pas that bothered the Pope in no small measure. They organised a
buffet with a view for highly select group of 150 VIPs on the terrace of
the Prefecture for Economic Affairs, unbeknownst to Vallejo’s direct
superior.
John and John Paul, Vallejo and Chaouqui committed yet another faux
pas that bothered the Pope in no small measure. They organised a
buffet with a view for highly select group of 150 VIPs on the terrace of
the Prefecture for Economic Affairs, unbeknownst to Vallejo’s direct
superior.
The documents Fittipaldi and Nuzzi used
to write their books – documents
about the management of the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome,
the expenses of Bertone’s apartment, some strange IOR accounts and
Vatican house rents – are backed up by recordings that were apparently
obtained during COSEA meetings the Pope was present at. The gendarmes
led by Domenico Giani had been investigating the document leak for some
time. This time, they were convinced they had solved the case before the
contents reached the bookstores.
about the management of the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome,
the expenses of Bertone’s apartment, some strange IOR accounts and
Vatican house rents – are backed up by recordings that were apparently
obtained during COSEA meetings the Pope was present at. The gendarmes
led by Domenico Giani had been investigating the document leak for some
time. This time, they were convinced they had solved the case before the
contents reached the bookstores.
“La
Stampa”
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