BUENOS AIRES — Pope Leo XIV arrived in Argentina on Sunday for the first papal visit to the nation in nearly 40 years, immediately confronting President Javier Milei’s sharp austerity program with a defense of low-income workers and retirees.
Milei and his sister, presidential secretary Karina Milei, greeted the 71-year-old pontiff at Buenos Aires’ Jorge Newbery airport before holding official meetings at the Casa Rosada presidential palace. The visit marks the second leg of Leo’s 12-day South American tour, which began in Uruguay and concludes in Peru later this week.
A Defense of Vulnerable Citizens
Addressing political leaders in the capital, Leo delivered a direct counterpoint to Milei’s libertarian, free-market governance, insisting that economic policy must prioritize human welfare over purely financial metrics.
“The economy must serve the person, not the person the economy,” Leo said, according to remarks reported by Al Jazeera English. While acknowledging the value of private enterprise, the pontiff emphasized the plight of citizens who, “despite hard work, nonetheless struggle to meet their household’s needs.”
The pope also issued what observers described as a veiled rebuke of cuts to disability assistance and social spending, telling officials that authentic authority requires exercising power as service. Leo urged leaders to act with prudence, acknowledge the limits of power, and prioritize the common good of the entire nation.
Milei, who took office in December 2023, defended his free-market agenda during the welcoming events, asserting that rights to life, liberty, and property form the foundation of Argentina’s constitution and Western governance, BBC News reported. Since taking office, Milei’s administration has slashed public spending, eliminated state subsidies, and reduced health care funding by 48 percent in real terms, according to NPR. While the administration curbed runaway inflation and achieved a budget surplus, official figures showed the national poverty rate stood at 32.3 percent in the first half of 2026, alongside the loss of roughly 300,000 formal jobs.
Repairing Historical Fractures
The encounter carried significant symbolic weight because Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, never returned to his Argentine homeland during his 12-year pontificate before his death in 2025. During his 2023 presidential campaign, Milei repeatedly attacked Francis, disparaging him as a “communist” who promoted social justice.
On Sunday, however, Milei struck a markedly respectful tone. The president welcomed Leo as an “exceptional figure” and referred to Francis as “undoubtedly the most important Argentine in history,” BBC News reported.
Security surrounding the trip remained tight. Argentina’s state intelligence agency announced Saturday that federal authorities arrested a suspect in Campana, northwest of Buenos Aires, over alleged death threats against Leo made shortly before his arrival, according to NPR.
The Vatican has stressed that Leo’s stamina remains intact following recent surgery to remove a lung tumor. Vatican officials told reporters that no extraordinary medical measures were required, describing the pontiff as fully recovered and noting that his cancer had not spread.
What Comes Next
Leo’s itinerary in Argentina includes celebrating open-air masses in Buenos Aires, Lujan, and Cordoba province, as well as touring a prison and visiting a home for disabled individuals. Church officials anticipate that as many as 7 million people will attend the various public liturgies before the pope departs for Peru on Wednesday.
