Pope Leo
“The economy must be at the service of the people, rather than the people at the service of the economy,” he said on Sunday, shortly after arriving in Argentina for the second leg of a tour of Latin America.
Leo highlighted the plight of those who, “despite hard work, nevertheless struggle to provide for their households.”
He spoke out in favor of the poor and pensioners, insisting that “particular attention must be given to those affected by illness, addiction and disability” – a veiled reference to the government’s controversial cuts to support for disabled people.
He also told Milei, known for his crude diatribes, that strengthening democracy required a “willingness to listen” and “careful use of words.”
Leo, 71, is on an ambitious 12-day tour across the continent, just three weeks after undergoing surgery for lung cancer.
The visit is the first by a pontiff to Argentina in nearly four decades, and Leo has received calls to help heal deep divisions in the country after three years of austerity under Milei.
Argentina is the home country of the late Pope Francis, whom Milei insulted for his pro-poor teachings.
Leo said he was “retracing” Francis’ footsteps.
Argentines hope that the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics will help unify the country, bitterly divided between Milei’s supporters and opponents.
“Just as the World Cup unites us, I hope the pope will too,” said Liliana Deblauwe, a 68-year-old retired teacher, who waited with hundreds of people for the pope to visit a monument dedicated to liberation hero Jose de San Martin.
Hundreds of others chanting “Papa Leon” (Leo in Spanish) gathered outside the presidential palace, where he was greeted by Milei.
Brian Inacio Rodriguez, a 26-year-old job seeker, spent five days traveling overland from Ushuaia, at the tip of South America, to see the pontiff.
He said he hoped he had brought “a lot of peace to Argentina.”
Leo arrived in Buenos Aires from Uruguay, where he began his first trip as pope to Latin America, the world’s most Catholic and increasingly secular continent.
In Uruguay, he condemned drug-related violence and called for an end to child poverty.
In Buenos Aires, he stressed the importance of “personal integrity” in public service, stressing that “corruption undermines citizens’ confidence in their institutions.”
The Argentina leg of his visit aims to strengthen the faltering faith of a country disappointed by Francis’ failed visit during his pontificate.
It will also serve as a litmus test of support for the Church. In a recent University of Buenos Aires poll, 57.7 percent of people identified as Catholic, up from about 90 percent in the 1960s.
Leo will visit a home for disabled people and a prison and celebrate three open-air masses.
The Church said it expects 7 million people to attend the various events.
Milei came to power with a promise to revive Argentina’s ailing economy and rein in soaring inflation by scaling back the welfare state, particularly targeting public hospitals, universities and retirees.
The poverty rate has increased significantly since he came to power, reaching 32.3% in September.
A close ally of US President Donald Trump, with a similar combative style, Milei had a tense relationship with Francis.
During the election campaign, the cost-cutting economist called his compatriot a “fool” for championing social justice.
Once in power, however, he softened his tone, but he continued to insult the press and the opposition.
His relations with Leo have so far been cordial, but the local Catholic Church has heavily criticized him for treating essential social services only as a budgetary constraint.
Milei has also been criticized for restricting several democratic freedoms, including the right to protest. But he retains a base of loyal supporters to significantly reduce inflation.
Gn headline
