Argentinian President Javier Milei greeted Pope Leo XIV upon his arrival at the Jorge Newbery airport near Buenos Aires on Sunday. The pontiff, currently on a Latin American tour that included a stop in Uruguay, is the first to visit Argentina since Pope John Paul II in 1987. As well as a sometimes fractious relationship with politicians like Milei, but the pontiff’s visit comes amid shrinking membership in the Catholic Church in Latin America.
The 71-year-old Pope, the first US-born leader of the Catholic Church, is scheduled to remain in the country until Wednesday.
His itinerary includes a formal welcome at Plaza San Martin, a meeting with President Milei at the Casa Rosada, and visits to a prison, alongside holding mass in Buenos Aires, Lujan, and Cordoba. Following these events, he plans to travel to Peru, where he previously served as a bishop.
This visit holds symbolic weight, as the late Pope Francis—the first pontiff from the Americas—was born in Buenos Aires in 1936 but never returned to his home country during his tenure. Reflecting on the significance of the event, Reverend Lorenzo “Toto” de Vedia remarked that Leo is accomplishing the visit that Francis never did.
The trip arrives during a period of complex relations between the Argentinian government and the Catholic Church. President Milei has faced criticism from clergy members regarding his aggressive austerity measures, which include significant cuts to social spending and safety-net programs. The president maintains that these budget reductions are essential to curbing national inflation. Milei has defended the budget cuts as necessary to bring inflation under control.
Historical friction persists between the administration and the Church. Milei previously engaged in a contentious public spat with the late Pope Francis, describing him at various times as a “communist” and an “imbecile who defends social justice.” Additionally, while Milei was raised Catholic, he has indicated in the past that he considered converting to Judaism.
Public sentiment regarding the Church is also evolving. While Catholics remain the largest religious group in Latin America with approximately 425 million adherents, local demographic shifts are evident. A Pew Research Center study showed that the proportion of self-identifying Catholics in Argentina fell from 71 percent in the 2013-2014 period to 58 percent a decade later. But their numbers have shrunk over the last decade.
Despite these tensions, the visit has been welcomed in various quarters. Jorge Silanes, religious director at the Pequeno Cottolengo Don Orione facility for people with disabilities, expressed that the pontiff’s presence brings great joy to the nation.
The Pope’s stay will facilitate meetings with diverse stakeholders, including government officials, diplomats, and civil society representatives, as he navigates the complex social and political climate of the country.
