Milei after Pope's visit: Leo XIV has agreed to travel to Argentina

Buenos Aires/Vatikanstadt - For twelve years, Catholics in Argentina waited in vain for a visit from their compatriot Pope Francis. A few weeks after his death, his successor has now apparently announced to travel there. At least that's what the government says.

Published on 07.06.2025 at 18:22 –

According to government information from Buenos Aires, Pope Leo XIV intends to visit the homeland of his predecessor, Argentina. The Pope confirmed his intention to travel to Argentinian President Javier Milei on the occasion of an audience on Saturday, a spokesperson for Milei announced on the online service X. No date was given. No date was given.

The Holy See's official announcement on the meeting in the Vatican did not address the subject of a possible visit. Leo XIV's predecessor Francis, who came from Buenos Aires, had never returned to his home country since his election as Pope in 2013.

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Leo XIV officially received the Argentinian president at the Vatican on Saturday. According to the Vatican press office, Milei then held talks with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and employees of the Secretariat of State.

According to the Vatican, the talks also centred on "social and economic developments, the fight against poverty and the commitment to social cohesion". They also discussed "a number of social and political issues of a regional and international nature" and the commitment to peace.

On the same day as Milei, the Pope also received the Archbishop of the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires, Jorge Ignacio García Cuerva, who has been in office since May 2023. The latter had publicly accused Milei of lacking a "social thermometer" and an understanding of the needs of ordinary Argentinians due to his radical austerity policy. (cbr/KNA)