Pope Leo XIV Heads to Argentina for Tense Meeting With Milei
The pontiff leaves Uruguay for Buenos Aires, where his visit contrasts with President Javier Milei’s austerity policies and a recent arrest over death threats.
By Harper Collins ·
Pope Leo XIV departs Uruguay Sunday for Argentina, the second leg of a three-country South American tour that analysts expect to be politically volatile. The Argentine government is preparing to host the 71-year-old pontiff, whose visit coincides with deep disagreements between the Catholic Church and the administration of President Javier Milei. Milei, who took office in December 2023, has pursued aggressive spending cuts that have reduced the real healthcare budget by 48% and sparked widespread protests.
Leo concludes his time in Uruguay with a celebration of the Virgen de los Treinta y Tres in Florida, a tradition dating to 1825 when independentist patriots acquired a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary. Thousands of pilgrims gathered in the town’s main square under clear skies to attend the mass. This marks the first papal visit to Uruguay in nearly four decades, a move intended to reaffirm the Church’s role in a nation that has become increasingly secular.
The journey to Argentina follows Leo’s October 13 surgery to remove a cancerous lung tumor. Despite the procedure, he has maintained a full schedule, singing and greeting crowds from his popemobile well into the night. Luis Bahamondes, a professor at the University of Chile, noted that the trip positions Leo as a political as well as spiritual leader who is not afraid of confrontation. He described Leo as a globally respected voice who offers potent opinions on pressing issues.
Tensions in Buenos Aires are high. Milei has labeled social justice an aberration and mocked complaints about families struggling to make ends meet under his austerity program. Official data shows poverty reached 32.3% of the population in the first half of 2026, affecting approximately 15 million people. The Argentine Church has criticized these measures, echoing concerns Leo has raised about the development of artificial intelligence, a sector Milei is actively courting with promises of light regulation.
Karina Milei, the president’s sister and secretary general of the presidency, stated that the visit is purely religious and that the pope belongs to all Argentines. Signs bearing the phrase 'Finally, a Leo who unites' appeared across the city, playing on the president’s use of lion imagery. In Campana, a federal court ordered the arrest of a person after Argentine intelligence agencies reported death threats against the pope. The suspect was detained less than 24 hours after the warning was received.
Leo’s itinerary in Argentina includes completing tasks left by his predecessor, Pope Francis, who never returned to his home country during his 12-year pontificate. David Lantigua, a theology professor at the University of Notre Dame, said there is significant disagreement in Argentina regarding Francis’s legacy. Leo, who spent two decades as a missionary in Peru, is expected to continue the focus on the poor and vulnerable that defined his predecessor’s ministry. The tour will conclude in Peru, Leo’s second homeland.
