Pope Leo XIV Arrives in Argentina for Historic Visit Amidst Government Tensions

Pope Leo XIV was warmly welcomed by Argentinian President Javier Milei at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery International Airport in Buenos Aires on November 8, 2026. The pontiff's arrival marks the first papal visit to Argentina in nearly four decades, with the previous visit by John Paul II occurring in 1987. President Milei, accompanied by his sister and presidential secretary Karina Milei, greeted Pope Leo XIV amidst existing tensions between the government and Argentina’s Catholic Church concerning austerity measures.

This visit follows Pope Leo XIV's three-day stay in Uruguay, the initial leg of his Latin American tour. The pontiff's itinerary in Argentina includes a welcome ceremony at Plaza San Martin and a meeting with President Milei at the Casa Rosada, the presidential palace. The visit occurs at a time when the Catholic Church is experiencing declining membership across Latin America, and its relationship with politicians like Milei has been strained.

While Catholics remain the largest religious group in Latin America, with approximately 425 million adherents, their numbers have decreased over the past decade. A Pew Research Center survey indicated a drop in self-identifying Catholics in Argentina from 71 percent in 2013-2014 to 58 percent a decade later. President Milei, who was raised Catholic, has previously expressed consideration of converting to Judaism.

The Catholic Church has voiced criticism of Milei's austerity measures, which involve significant cuts to social spending and safety-net programs. President Milei has defended these budget reductions as essential for controlling inflation, though some members of the Catholic clergy have actively participated in protests against his policies.

Pope Leo XIV, the first US-born pope at 71 years old, is scheduled to remain in Argentina until Wednesday. His engagements include meetings with officials, diplomats, and civil society representatives, as well as visits to a prison and celebrations of mass in Buenos Aires, Lujan, and Cordoba. He will then travel to Peru, where he previously served as a bishop.

Notably, the previous pope, Francis, who was born in Buenos Aires and was the first pontiff from the Americas, never visited his home country as head of the Catholic Church before his death in 2025. Francis and President Milei had a contentious relationship, with Milei having previously referred to the late pontiff with critical terms. Reverend Lorenzo “Toto” de Vedia commented that Pope Leo XIV will undertake the visit to Argentina that Pope Francis never did.