Pope Leo moves to Argentina for tense meeting with President Milei
After a Mass attended by an estimated 50,000 people in Uruguay, the pope arrives in Buenos Aires to meet a leader whose austerity policies have drawn sharp criticism from the Catholic Church.
By Sakura Novak ·
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Argentina on Sunday to begin the second phase of his South American tour.
The visit follows a stop in Uruguay, where the pope celebrated the feast of the Virgin of the Thirty-three in the city of Florida. The ceremony marked the first papal visit to Uruguay in nearly four decades. Leo addressed the role of the Catholic Church in the nation's history, noting that the country has historically followed a secular path. He specifically honored women who transmitted their faith to younger generations. In his homily, he acknowledged the difficulty mothers face when their children stop practicing. He urged them to continue passing on their beliefs despite these challenges. An estimated 50,000 people attended the Mass in Florida, a city with a population of about 40,000. Some attendees traveled several kilometers to reach the square. One attendee from Montevideo, Fiama Pirez, said she preferred the family outing to see her mother fulfill a long-held dream. She described her own faith as a personal rediscovery. The pope now faces a politically complex environment in Argentina. President Javier Milei is scheduled to greet Leo at the airport before a welcome ceremony and exchange of speeches. The meeting has generated tension because the Church has criticized Milei's economic reforms. Milei has implemented strict austerity measures that reduced social spending. His administration has cut the healthcare budget by 48% in real terms since December 2023. Planned reductions in public university funding also prompted student protests. Milei has described social justice as an aberration and has mocked complaints about families struggling to make ends meet. Official data shows poverty in Argentina reached 32.3% of the population during the first half of 2026. This figure represents approximately 15 million people. The government argues these cuts are necessary to fix the economy and reduce waste. It has also sought investment in artificial intelligence with promises of limited regulation. Leo has warned that the rapid development of AI poses risks to humanity and the environment. He has called for international safeguards to manage this growth. Karina Milei, the president's sister and secretary-general of the presidency, stated that the papal visit is strictly religious. She said the pope belongs to all Argentines rather than any political camp. The visit also completes work left unfinished by Pope Francis. Francis, who served as the archbishop of Buenos Aires, never returned to his home country during his 12-year pontificate. Leo is following Francis' focus on the poor and vulnerable, a theme central to his own ministry. A person was arrested Saturday over death threats against the pope. A federal court in Campana ordered the detention less than 24 hours after intelligence officials were tipped off. The state intelligence agency confirmed the arrest but provided few details. Leo will conclude his trip by visiting Peru, where he served as a missionary priest for two decades.
Argentina's state intelligence agency said Saturday that a person had been arrested over death threats against Leo ahead of his arrival. A federal court in Campana, some 70 kilometers northwest of Buenos Aires, ordered the arrest less than 24 hours after the agency was tipped off, it said, without elaborating.
image_prompt
