Pope Leo XIV heads to Argentina for high-stakes meeting with Javier Milei

Pope Leo XIV departed Uruguay on Sunday after leading a ceremony honoring the country's independence, marking the end of the first leg of his three-nation South American tour. He is now traveling to Argentina, where political tensions between the Vatican and the presidential office are expected to surface during his welcome ceremony.

The pope arrived in the city of Florida, north of Montevideo, to commemorate the feast of the Virgin of the Thirty-Three. This annual event draws thousands of pilgrims to pray before a small wooden icon of Mary. According to local tradition, thirty-three independentist patriots acquired the statue and carried it when Uruguay declared independence from the Brazilian Empire on August 25, 1825.

Leo became the first pope to visit Uruguay in nearly four decades. His visit aimed to reaffirm the Catholic Church's role in the national identity of a country that has become deeply secular and occasionally anticlerical over recent years. Despite undergoing surgery on October 13 to remove a cancerous lung tumor, the 71-year-old pontiff has maintained a vigorous schedule, often staying active past midnight Rome time.

In Buenos Aires, Leo is scheduled to meet President Javier Milei at the airport for a traditional welcome ceremony and exchange of speeches. The meeting carries weight because Milei's government has implemented strict austerity measures that have cut social spending. Argentine church leaders have criticized the administration for prioritizing economic orthodoxy over the needs of the poor.

Official data shows that poverty in Argentina reached 32.3% of the population in the first half of 2026, affecting approximately 15 million people. Milei cut the national health budget by 48% in real terms since taking office in December 2023. Proposed cuts to public universities have also sparked student protests. The president has framed these reductions as necessary reforms to fix the economy and eliminate bureaucratic waste.

The trip also serves to address unfinished business from the papacy of Francis, the Argentine Jesuit who never returned to his home country during his twelve-year reign. David Lantigua, a theology professor at the University of Notre Dame, noted that there is significant disagreement in Argentina regarding Francis's legacy, particularly his time as a priest serving the poor. Leo, who spent two decades as a missionary in Peru, is seen as continuing that pastoral focus.

Milei has also courted investment in artificial intelligence and data centers by promising limited regulation. In contrast, Leo has warned about the threats the AI race poses to humanity and the environment, calling for strict international safeguards. This divergence adds another layer of complexity to the upcoming meetings between the two leaders.