Pope Leo XIV declared in Buenos Aires that the economy must serve people rather than people serving the economy, setting a sharp social tone during his visit to Argentina and meeting with President Javier Milei.
The pontiff arrived on Sunday for a four-day visit expected to draw up to seven million people across the country, ici.radio-canada.ca reported. The visit is the first papal trip to Argentina in nearly 40 years since Pope John Paul II.
A Direct Message on Austerity
Addressing civil and political authorities at the Casa Rosada alongside President Milei, Pope Leo XIV emphasized moderation in public life and urged leaders to recognize the limits of power. france24.com noted that the Pope specifically called for strengthened support for education, higher education, and scientific research.
President Milei, who took office in late 2023, has pursued aggressive fiscal consolidation to tame runaway inflation. These sharp cuts to the welfare state have trimmed public spending but left roughly 300,000 public and private jobs lost. Poverty rates have subsequently rebounded to affect nearly one in three Argentines in 2026.
While Milei has frequently criticized social justice as an unjust mechanism that takes from some to give to others, the Pope’s address revived the social focus championed by his predecessor, the late Pope Francis. Francis never returned to his homeland during his 12-year pontificate before passing away in 2025.
Crowds Gather to See Pope Leo XIV
Outside government buildings, crowds gathered behind security barriers to catch a glimpse of the 71-year-old pontiff. Many attendees waved Vatican flags and portraits of the Pope.
Among the travelers was 26-year-old Brian Inacio Rodriguez, who drove five days from Ushuaia in Patagonia to reach Buenos Aires. He told reporters he hoped the papal visit would bring much-needed peace to the country.
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Papal Traveler | Pope Leo XIV (71 years old) |
| Current Tour | A Latin American tour (Uruguay, Argentina, Peru) |
| Catholic Population | 57.7% of Argentina’s 46 million residents |
During a ceremony at the Libertador Palace, President Milei acknowledged Pope Francis as the most important Argentine in history, drawing a long ovation from the audience. The gesture marked a notable shift from past tensions between Milei and the late pontiff.
Pope Leo XIV continues his regional tour across Latin America, with Peru remaining the final stop on his itinerary after his initial days in Uruguay.
