Pope Leo XIV Arrives in Argentina to Meet President Milei
The pontiff begins his second leg of a South American tour in a nation where religious and political tensions have risen over austerity measures.
By Rafael Bailey ·
Pope Leo XIV is in Argentina to meet with President Javier Milei and continue his South American tour.
The pope arrived in the country after concluding his visit to Uruguay on Sunday. His final event there was a Mass in the city of Florida, located north of Montevideo. The ceremony marked the feast of the Virgin of the Thirty-three. Leo became the first pope to visit Uruguay in nearly four decades. He told the crowd that the history of peoples cannot be fully understood without reference to God. He specifically thanked mothers and grandmothers for passing the faith to younger generations, noting their pain when those efforts did not stick. He urged them to never tire of that work. Tens of thousands gathered in the main square for the service. The Vatican estimated 50,000 people attended, despite the city having a population of only about 40,000.
The move to Argentina marks a delicate shift in tone. The Catholic Church has sharply criticized Milei’s austerity program. Since taking office in December 2023, the libertarian president has slashed social spending to overhaul the economy and achieve a budget surplus. He has called social justice an aberration and mocked complaints about families struggling to pay rent. In the first half of 2026, poverty in Argentina reached 32.3% of the population, affecting about 15 million people. The government has cut the healthcare budget by 48% in real terms. Planned reductions to the public university system have also sparked student protests. Milei’s administration views these cuts as necessary reforms to eliminate fraud and waste, mirroring the approach of the Trump administration.
Reactions to the visit reflect the political divide. Posters reading "At last, a Lion who unites" appeared across Buenos Aires this weekend. The phrase plays on the Spanish word for Leo, which is lion, and the imagery Milei often uses on social media. Luis Bahamondes, a professor at the University of Chile, described Argentina as a society experiencing deep polarization and economic crisis. He noted that Milei defies conventional protocol and once challenged his predecessor, Pope Francis. David Lantigua, a theology professor at the University of Notre Dame, said there is disagreement over Francis' legacy in Argentina. Lantigua added that Leo will likely encounter the same tension with the president. Leo, who spent two decades as a missionary in Peru, continues the focus on the poor that characterized Francis' papacy.
The Argentine government insists the visit is purely religious. Karina Milei, the president's sister and secretary-general of the presidency, told reporters that the pope belongs to all Argentines, not a political camp. Milei is scheduled to greet Leo at the airport before they appear together for a welcome ceremony. The two leaders will exchange speeches during the event. Leo has warned that the race for artificial intelligence poses threats to humanity and the environment. He has called for strict, internationally policed safeguards on its development. This stance contrasts with Milei’s courtship of AI investment and data centers with promises of limited regulation. On Saturday, Argentina’s state intelligence agency said a person was arrested over death threats against the pope. A federal court in Campana ordered the arrest less than 24 hours after the tip was received.
After his time in Buenos Aires, Leo will travel to Peru for the final leg of his trip. He will return to the country where he ministered to the poor for 20 years. The journey completes unfinished business from his predecessor, who never returned to his home country during his 12-year pontificate.
