Buenos Aires. Pope Leo XIV has urged Argentina's head of state Javier Milei to be more considerate of weaker groups in society. “The economy must be at the service of people and not people at the service of the economy,” said the head of the Catholic Church at the start of a visit to the capital Buenos Aires. The course of President Milei, who has been in office for three years and wants to radically reduce the influence of the state, is highly controversial.
On Monday, Leo visited a Catholic social center that looks after people with disabilities. According to local authorities, he then celebrated a mass in the open air in front of around 2.5 million people - the largest service of his time in office to date. Argentina - the homeland of his predecessor Francis, who died a year and a half ago - is Leo's second stop after Uruguay on his twelve-day trip to South America.
At a reception in the presence of Milei, the American native called on people to “take care of the weak, forgive, share and stand by those who need help.” Economic growth must also benefit those “who are struggling with greater difficulties”. In Argentina, the gap between rich and poor has been widening ever since Milei took office.
The market-radical politician came to government in 2023 with the promise of a radical “chainsaw policy”. Through a series of reforms, the once enormous inflation fell massively. The economy is growing again. However, there is a lot of criticism about the social hardships that come with it. According to official statistics, 15 of Argentina's 46 million inhabitants live below the poverty line. The country is also suffering from a wave of emigration.
It is the first papal visit to the South American country in almost 40 years. There was great disappointment that Francis never returned to his homeland after his election as pontiff. Apparently the first pope from South America feared getting into a party dispute.
His successor will now be in Argentina until Wednesday. In his appeal for more justice, he particularly referred to the plight of families. In the presence of Milei, he said: “Whoever has power also has a duty to act prudently, to recognize the limits of the power entrusted to him and to base his decisions on the well-being of the entire community.”
Regarding the exodus of young Argentines in particular who see their future in European countries such as Spain or Italy, the Pope said: "A nation must seriously ask itself where it has failed if its young people have to leave their homeland in order to be able to realize their dreams." Education and vocational training must be strengthened and organized crime, human trafficking and corruption must be combated decisively.
In his speech, Milei, in turn, emphasized the value of freedom, which had already been enshrined in the Bible. The right to life, freedom and property is the backbone of all Western democracies. He followed Leo's speech sitting on a chair nearby. He also applauded the critical passages. Argentina's head of state is considered an ally of US President Donald Trump, with whom the Pope has already fallen foul of several times.
Leo's warning to also take care of the weak comes against the backdrop of a domestic political controversy. In 2025, the House of Representatives passed an emergency law for the disabled. Milei vetoed it - but Congress overrode it in both chambers. At the social center, the Pope left no doubt about whose side he was on: “The progress of a nation can also be measured by how it welcomes all people with disabilities and special needs.”
The number of people who profess the Catholic Church has also decreased significantly in Argentina. It is estimated that around half of the population is still religious. According to Vatican statistics, a total of more than 390 million people in South America profess the Catholic faith - significantly more than in Europe. There are an estimated 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.
After Argentina, Leo is expected in his second home Peru, where he worked as a missionary and bishop for two decades. He also has Peruvian citizenship. The Andean country is governed by right-wing populist President Keiko Fujimori, whose father, who has since died, was once head of state. During his time as bishop, Leo criticized him several times.
The travel program in Peru also includes a trip to the Andes at 3,700 meters, which is considered tricky because of the thin mountain air after Leo's lung operation. The 71-year-old had a malignant tumor in his right lung removed in mid-October. According to the doctors treating him, he is now cancer-free again.
