Pope Leo heads to Milei's Argentina as tensions loom over austerity, Iran
The first papal visit in nearly 40 years comes as church leaders criticize Milei’s austerity program and say 15 million Argentines live in poverty.
- On Sunday, November 8, 2026, Pope Leo XIV arrived in Buenos Aires for a three-day Argentine tour, meeting President Javier Milei at the Casa Rosada for a formal welcome ceremony aimed at helping mend deep national divisions.
- President Milei's austerity measures have slashed social spending since December 2023, affecting public hospitals and pensioners, prompting the Catholic Church to criticize the government for prioritizing fiscal surplus over the needs of the poor.
- On Monday, November 9, Leo will visit the Cottolengo Don Orione facility, a care center housing 410 residents with disabilities, drawing attention to the tangible impact of government spending cuts on vulnerable populations.
- In his first address, the pope called for the defense of democracy and a 'careful use of words,' urging leaders to acknowledge the limits of power, a message that contrasts sharply with Milei's combative political rhetoric.
- The tour marks the first papal visit to Argentina in nearly 40 years, ending the long absence of Pope Francis, and positions Leo as a potential mediator in a country bitterly divided over Milei's economic policies.
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358 Articles
Arrived on Sunday 8 November in Buenos Aires from Uruguay for the second stage of his tour in Latin America, the head of the Catholic Church gave a first speech in which he stated, inter alia, that "The economy [must] be at the service of the person, not the person at the service of the economy", a barely veiled criticism of the policy of the Argentine President.
Pope Leo XIV on Sunday strongly criticized Argentine President Javier Miel's austerity measures and stressed that economic growth must benefit everyone, drawing thunderous applause.
Pope Leo XIV is in Argentina on Sunday on the occasion of his tour in Latin America. In a speech to the political authorities, he stressed the importance of acting with "prudence" and of the "personal integrity of those entrusted with the responsibility to govern" Pope Leo XIV on Sunday considered that the economy should be "at the service of the person, not the person at the service of the economy", upon his arrival in Argentina where the Churc…
During his visit to Buenos Aires, the Church leader calls for more consideration for poor and weak sections of the population. In view of President Javier Milei's policy, Leo warns that economic growth must benefit all people.
Leo XIV is the first Pope in nearly 40 years to travel to Argentina. He obviously has little understanding of President Javier Milei's economic policy.
In front of President Javier Milei, the pope explained on Sunday evening in Buenos Aires that if democracy was "a legacy", it had to be preserved and strengthened.
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