Pope Leo XIV Concludes Argentina Visit, First Papal Trip There in 39 Years

Pope Leo XIV is concluding a four-day visit to Argentina on Wednesday, Nov. 11, the first papal visit to the country since 1987. His itinerary included tributes to Francisco, Argentina’s first pope, meetings with President Javier Milei and other officials, and remarks on the economy and regional cooperation that contrasted with Milei’s policies.

The trip was a historic moment for Argentina. Francisco was born in Buenos Aires and led the Catholic Church from 2013 to 2025, but did not return to the country during his papacy. The last pope to visit Argentina was John Paul II, in April 1987; he had also traveled there in 1982, during the Falklands War. Leo XIV arrived in Buenos Aires on Sunday, Nov. 8, and met privately with Milei at the Casa Rosada, the seat of the Argentine government. He later addressed officials, civil society representatives and diplomats at Palacio Libertad.

Leo XIV’s visit also honored his predecessor. At an event attended by Argentine officials and Milei, the pope recalled Francisco’s path and said he was, in a sense, retracing the steps of the first Latin American pope in his homeland. Leo XIV also attended a service at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Buenos Aires, where Francisco had served as archbishop before his election as pope in 2013. Milei, who had previously called Francisco an “idiot” and a “representative of evil on Earth” and accused him of supporting communism, later adopted a more conciliatory tone. He personally apologized to Francisco during a Vatican visit in February 2024 and, while welcoming Leo XIV, called Francisco “the most important Argentine in history.”

Though their meeting was cordial, Leo XIV addressed issues important to Milei’s government without naming the president directly. The pope said the economy should serve people and that economic growth should not leave the most vulnerable behind. He expressed solidarity with families facing financial uncertainty, unemployed people, older adults and workers whose earnings are not enough to meet basic household needs. The remarks came as Milei pursued austerity measures, including cuts to public spending and subsidies and a reduced role for the state since taking office in December 2023.

The pope also emphasized the needs of people with disabilities and those who are ill or require care. On Monday, Nov. 9, he visited Pequeño Cottolengo Don Orione, a Catholic institution in Claypole, in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, that serves people with disabilities. The institution is facing financial difficulties tied to delays in public payments and the effects of the government’s austerity measures. The pope’s comments were interpreted as a pointed contrast with Milei’s reductions in social assistance. The National Disability Agency, known as Andis, has also faced controversy over an alleged kickback scheme involving medicine contracts. Audio recordings attributed to former agency director Diego Spagnuolo mentioned Milei’s sister, Karina Milei, the president’s chief of staff. Her involvement in any wrongdoing has not been established.

Leo XIV also called for greater South American integration, saying Argentina’s future is linked to that of its neighbors and urging countries to pursue dialogue and agreements. The appeal contrasted with Milei’s diplomatic disputes with left-wing governments in the region, particularly that of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Milei has also strengthened political and economic ties with the United States under President Donald Trump. Before leaving Argentina, Leo XIV was scheduled to visit a federal prison complex in Buenos Aires and celebrate Mass outside the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján. He was due to depart from Ezeiza International Airport at 1:30 p.m. for Lima, Peru.

Peru is the final stop on Leo XIV’s South American trip, which began in Uruguay on Nov. 6. He is scheduled to remain there through Nov. 16 and return to Rome, with arrival at the Vatican expected the next day. The trip has particular significance for the pope, who spent more than two decades in Peru after arriving in 1985 as a missionary with the Order of St. Augustine. He served in pastoral and religious education roles, became apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo in 2014 and its bishop the following year, and acquired Peruvian citizenship in 2015. His itinerary includes meetings in Lima, a visit to Chiclayo and stops in Santa Cruz de Succhabamba, Zaña, Cusco and Pucallpa, where he is scheduled to meet missionaries and representatives of Amazonian peoples. On Nov. 16, he is set to visit a care institution for abandoned older adults and celebrate Mass in Lima before returning to Italy.