Pope Leo XIV Blasts Milei Austerity in Argentina as 7 Million Are Expected at Visit Events
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Nov 9
Pope Leo XIV Blasts Milei Austerity in Argentina as 7 Million Are Expected at Visit Events
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Nov 9
Summary
Buenos Aires heard Pope Leo XIV directly challenge Javier Milei’s austerity drive, saying the economy must serve people and urging special concern for poor, elderly and disabled Argentines.
The rebuke targeted cuts that have hit pensions and disability assistance, while Leo also pressed Milei on democracy, careful language and integrity in public office.
Hundreds gathered outside the presidential palace and along Leo’s route, with many hoping the 71-year-old pontiff can ease divisions after 3 years of austerity under Milei.
The Argentina leg of Leo’s 12-day Latin America tour is the first papal visit to the country in nearly 40 years and a test for a church whose self-identified Catholic share has fallen to 57.7% from about 90% in the 1960s.
Milei still retains loyal backing for sharply reducing inflation, even as poverty has swung higher—reaching 32.3% in September—and the local church accuses his government of treating social services mainly as budget cuts.
Can a historic papal visit force Argentina's libertarian government to reverse severe austerity cuts for the disabled?
How will vulnerable communities survive if state funding permanently shifts toward sweeping libertarian deregulation?
Pope Leo XIV’s 2026 Argentina Visit: Papal Diplomacy Amid Milei’s Austerity, Pension Crisis, and Church-State Showdown
Overview
Pope Leo XIV’s historic 2026 visit to Argentina unfolded against a backdrop of deep economic and social turmoil. After years of chronic deficits and soaring inflation, President Javier Milei’s aggressive austerity program brought inflation down but triggered recession, job losses, and a spike in poverty. Pension freezes and spending cuts hit retirees and vulnerable groups hard, fueling protests and political clashes with Congress. The Catholic Church, critical of welfare cuts, became a vocal advocate for the poor. Amid tight security and public holidays, the papal visit highlighted the sharp divide between Milei’s free-market policies and the Church’s call for social justice, putting the government under intense public and global scrutiny.