Pope Leo
Throughout the visit, the pontiff must make implicit criticisms of the Argentine government's fiscal adjustment and social agenda.
The pope began his trip — which remained pending during Francis' 12-year pontificate — in the capital, Buenos Aires, where he will meet with the Argentine president at the Casa Rosada.
Both Leão XIV and Javier Milei will try to depoliticize the visit. But, behind the conciliatory gestures, two diametrically opposed world views will be under tension, which will be evident in the pope's speeches, popular masses and other commitments on the agenda.
The Argentine government is working to ensure that the visit does not become a political counterpoint. The fear is that the pope's speeches will be used politically by the opposition and have an impact on the electorate.
Divergences
The list of disagreements between Leo XIV and Milei is long: social justice, the role of the State, combating poverty, employment, verbal violence, economic freedom, immigration, foreign policy, regulation of artificial intelligence, freedom of the press, climate change and political polarization.
The two leaders only agree on two points: they are against abortion and against euthanasia.
The pontiff developed, in his first encyclical Magnífica humanitas, a speech that deepens the legacy of Pope Francis and repositions in the foreground the social doctrine of the Church, marked by the teaching of Leo XIII, at the end of the 19th century, the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution.
Leo XIV argues that the State is fundamental to a balanced and fair society, while Milei classifies the State as "worse than the mafia" and says he is "the infiltrator to destroy the State from within";
For the pope, social justice makes it possible to guarantee human dignity and reduce inequality. The Argentine president considers it an "aberration from a moral point of view" because it is "an unequal treatment before the law";
Regarding artificial intelligence, the pontiff preaches prudence, regulation and even the need to stop the uncontrolled advance of AI in defense of human beings. It argues that effective and responsible human control is necessary and questions the possibility of AI systems becoming legal entities. As for Milei, there should be no regulation or limits on the development of technology. He is even in favor of companies without any human beings.
In the exercise of politics, Milei polarizes society, with daily insults to opponents, journalists and economists, while the pope propagates political plurality without offending his opponents; Leo XIV is in favor of multilateralism and peace;
In the case of the Middle East, he defends a two-state solution, Israel and Palestine. Milei, on the other hand, maintains an unrestricted alignment with Israel, without questioning Benjamin Netanyahu's military action;
The two are also opposed to the role of the press: the pope says that silencing a journalist means weakening democracy, but Milei considers that 95% of journalists are "delinquents who poison people in exchange for bribes" and advertising funds;
On the issue of immigration, Leo XIV highlights that immigrants must be treated humanely and have their rights respected. Milei states that immigrants must adapt to the new culture, abandoning their own; otherwise his presence would be "an invasion"; Recently, the Argentine president published a decree according to which foreigners who spread hateful messages will be prevented from entering Argentina and, if they already reside in the country, will lose their right of residence. Milei is proud of having prevented the entry or deported 10 thousand tourists and immigrants, whom he classified as "terrorists".
Change focus
Despite so much discord, the Argentine government sees the pontiff's visit as a chance to change the focus of the news of recent weeks: the electoral defeats of allies Flávio Bolsonaro and Donald Trump, the dismissal of Paraguayan president Santiago Peña and the weakening of Israeli Benjamin Netanyahu.
This is the first visit by a pope to Argentina in 39 years, following John Paul II's trip in April 1987. But it is not Robert Prevost's first trip to Argentina.
The previous one, in March 2013, took place six days before Jorge Bergoglio became Pope Francis. In the first, in August 2004, Robert Prevost participated in a mass with the then archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Bergoglio. Later, the two would become.
Leo XIV defined this trip to the country as a tribute to Francisco.
"I come with great joy to complete the trip that Francisco was unable to do", he told Argentine journalists present on the flight between Rome and Montevideo, on Friday (6).
First day in Argentina
Leo XIV and Milei had planned a meeting at Casa Rosada, the seat of the Argentine government. Afterwards, the two will be together again at an event with Argentine political and judicial leaders, civil society representatives and diplomats.
Milei did not want to include the opposition on the agenda, but he was defeated by the Church and tried to show good political coexistence, something unprecedented in almost three years in office).
In the coming days, at popular masses and meetings with trade unionists, businesspeople, workers, retirees, social movements, prisoners and people with disabilities, speeches based on the Church's social doctrine are expected, in clear collision with Javier Milei's economic policy and worldview.
It is estimated that seven million people participate in the events, especially the popular masses in Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Luján. Around 50 thousand security agents are involved in the events).
