Scherer is from a dysfunctional country although he has spent much of his career in Rome and not in Brazil.
However, he’s not conservative except by Brazilian standards. I will say that he has opposed abortion and some of the other things that are popular in Brazil, including some of their “charismatic” clergy, but he’s vague on world issues and is not up to being pope at least to some extent because his country is such a mess.
The only “Third World” people I think could do it would be Ranjith, who’s 67 (young enough but not too young), or Tagle, from the Phillipines. Arinze, who has spent much of his life in Rome, would probably be ok, but Turkson, head of the Peace and Justice Commission, is also from a dysfunctional country full of heresies and immoralities. Also, his big goal in life is a worldwide economic authority that would control everything.
Er, I don’t think so. African bishops need to do more about getting their own house in shape.
There was an article in the Italian media about a couple of powerful Cardinals (Bertone) in the curia pushing for Scherer if they could get an Italian in the Secretary of State type position.
Along with Ouellet, they’ve also been mentioning Peter Erdo of Hungary who I don’t know much about.