Pope Francis' recent visit to Ecuador focused on the issues of poverty and environmental exploitation.

In a speech in front of President Rafael Correa at the Quito airport, the pope urged Ecuador to care for its economic development and protect its diverse and rich environment from exploitation, Yahoo! News reported.

"May you never lose the ability to protect what is small and simple, to care for your children and your elderly who are the memory of your people, to have confidence in the young and to be constantly struck by the nobility of your people and the singular beauty of your country," the pontiff said, as quoted by Yahoo! News.

Pope Francis' visit to Ecuador serves as the beginning of his seven-day tour across Latin America, BBC wrote. He will also travel to Bolivia and Paraguay, but not to his homeland of Argentina. The pope is the first leader of the Catholic Church hailing from South America.

The pope's 13-hour flight from Rome was greeted by Ecuador's indigenous children dressed in traditional costumes, Yahoo! News added.

In his speech, the pope assured Correa that the nation should expect the help of the Catholic Church in resolving the issues plaguing its society. This will be done by respecting people's differences and "fostering dialogue and full participation" for everyone's "better future," Yahoo! News reported. Pope Francis also emphasized "particular concern for the most vulnerable" in Ecuador's citizens, the news outlet noted.

Ecuador's diverse ecosystem and healthy supply of oil helped the nation's economy, but the success also brought upon deforestation and pollution that have affected the Amazonian rain forests where indigenous people reside, Yahoo! News wrote.

Correa agreed on the issues Pope Francis highlighted in his speech, saying that the "perverse" global economic system retains the poor's living status while the rich people get richer by exploiting the Earth's natural resources, Yahoo! News wrote.

"Holy Father, the global order isn't only unjust, it's immoral," Correa said, as quoted by the news outlet.

According to the president, the immigration policies of wealthy nations are unjust.

"They are looking for global consumers, not global citizens. The world order is not only unfair, but immoral," Correa added, as reported by BBC.

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said that the protests against Correa didn't bother Pope Francis. The crowd welcoming the pope is hopeful that he would calm Ecuador's tense political condition, Yahoo! News added.

Pope Francis' activities in Ecuador include a mass in the Pacific port city of Guayaquil, as well as a lunch with two dozen Jesuit students at Quito, the news outlet wrote. Later in the week, the pontiff will pay a visit to a violent Bolivian prison and a flood-prone town in Paraguay, as well as a meeting with grass-roots groups in Bolivia.