POPE FRANCIS sent a handwritten letter to jailed former Brazilian president Lula on Thursday after he met a delegation of South American politicians in Rome.

The pontiff sent a message of support  — "To Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva with my blessing, asking him to pray for me, Francisco”  — after an hour-long meeting to discuss the political situation in Brazil.

The delegation to the Vatican included Brazilian former minister of defence Celso Amorim who was joined by former Argentinian minister Alberto Fernandez and Chilean minister Carlos Ominami.