Buenos Aires (Argentina) (AFP) - Pope Leo
Published on: 08/11/2026 - 18:39
During his visit to Argentina, the Supreme Pontiff is expected to take positions in defense of the poor and needy groups, in light of a tense climate raised by fears of the grave humanitarian repercussions of Milly’s austerity decisions in vital public sectors.
The Pope's visit falls within a 12-day tour of the continent, where he served for nearly two decades within missionary monastic orders.
Only three weeks after undergoing surgery for lung cancer, the head of the Catholic Church, which has about 1.4 billion followers in the world, is embarking on an ambitious 12-day tour of the continent where he served for nearly two decades as part of the Augustinian Order mission in Peru.
This first papal visit in nearly 40 years to Argentina was followed by Leo XIV's stop in secular-oriented Uruguay, where he stayed for three days, during which he denounced drug-related violence and called for an end to child poverty.
His visit aims to revive the Catholic presence in Argentina. The lack of enthusiasm for welcoming the Pope in the streets of the capital, Buenos Aires, reflected the decline in the Church’s authority in the South American country, as a recent poll by the University of Buenos Aires showed that only 57.7 percent of the population consider themselves belonging to it.
The Pope's program during his four-day visit to Argentina includes meetings with the elderly, people with disabilities and prisoners, and he is expected to call for strengthening social protection for the most needy groups in the wake of Milley's measures that pushed millions of people to the brink of extreme poverty.
The Argentine president's relationship with his compatriot, the late Pope Francis, witnessed severe tension, as Milley described Leo's predecessor as an "idiot" because he called for social justice.
But Milley, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, softened his tone after assuming office and visited Pope Francis in the Vatican.
His relationship with Pope Leo is still friendly until now, but the local church has directed sharp criticism at him because he sees basic social services as merely a burden on the state treasury.
Milley was also criticized for restricting a number of democratic freedoms, including the right to demonstrate.
© 2026 AFP
The content you want to browse is no longer in service or is currently unavailable.
