Charts of the Day: Why a Pope from a ‘Poor’ Country

Domestic media inquires: Why has the incumbent Pope been chosen from a ‘poor’ country (emerging markets)?  Pope Francis hails from Argentina. Previously Popes were elected from mainstream Europe

The following charts from Pew Research via washingtonpost.com may explain why:

Bluntly put, to revive Catholicism in Latin America, a Pope must represent the region.

However so far this doesn't seem to be working. Again the Washington Post (November 2014):

Pew notes that its own data may not show the "Francis Effect," as he only took the papal position in March 2013. However, the report then adds: 

[Former] Catholics are more skeptical about Pope Francis. Only in Argentina and Uruguay do majorities of ex-Catholics express a favorable view of the pope. In every other country in the survey, no more than roughly half of ex-Catholics view Francis favorably, and relatively few see his papacy as a major change for the Catholic Church. Many say it is too soon to have an opinion about the pope.