A Missionary Pope Faces a Chain Saw-Wielding Populist in Argentina

Live updates

1. 2h ago

   Pope Leo XIV arrives in Argentina for tense meeting with President Milei

   Pope Leo XIV landed in Buenos Aires on Wednesday for the most sensitive leg of his three-country South America tour. The visit pits a missionary-oriented pontiff against President Javier Milei, a self-described anarcho-capitalist who has wielded a chainsaw as a campaign prop and aligned with Donald Trump. Leo urged Milei to "safeguard democracy" and acknowledge the "limits" of power upon arrival. The Argentine Church has clashed with Milei over austerity cuts that have deepened poverty. Leo is weeks removed from lung cancer surgery.

   Why it matters

   The encounter crystallizes a broader struggle over the Catholic Church's role in Latin America's political economy. Milei's radical spending cuts have slashed social programs the Church helps administer, while his rhetoric attacks "social justice" as a distortion. Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, arrives after stops in Uruguay and Paraguay where he emphasized pastoral closeness. The Vatican has not confirmed a private audience, but a meeting is expected Thursday.

   What is confirmed

   • Pope Leo XIV arrived in Argentina on Wednesday after visits to Uruguay and Paraguay.
   • Pope Leo urged President Milei to "safeguard democracy" upon arrival.
   • Pope Leo told Milei to acknowledge the "limits" of power.
   • President Milei is a self-described anarcho-capitalist and Trump ally who used a chainsaw as a campaign symbol.
   • The Argentine Church has clashed with Milei over austerity measures that increased poverty.
   • Pope Leo is weeks removed from lung cancer surgery.

   Still unconfirmed

   • A private audience between Pope Leo and President Milei is expected Thursday.

   What to watch next

   • Whether a formal private audience occurs Thursday and its tone
   • Any joint public appearance or statement on social policy
   • Vatican reaction to Milei's continued austerity drive
   Sources used for this update (20)

   1. www.hindustantimes.com — Stock market today: S&P 500, Dow Jones, Nasdaq futures fall as US inflation hits 3.7% in September | Hindustan Times
   2. The New York Times — In Argentina, Pope Leo to Meet Church at Odds With President Milei
   3. WSJ — A Missionary Pope Faces a Chain Saw-Wielding Populist in Argentina
   4. OSV News — Pope Leo shares advice for Catholic parents whose children left the faith at Uruguay’s national shrine
   5. The Hill — Pope wraps up Uruguay visit and arrives in Milei’s Argentina for the most fraught stop of his tour
   6. Vatican News — Pope Leo XIV visits San Martín monument in Buenos Aires
   7. CNN — Pope Leo urges President Milei, a Trump ally, to ‘safeguard democracy’ on arrival in Argentina
   8. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — Pope wraps up Uruguay visit and heads to most fraught stop of his tour in Milei's Argentina
   9. Yahoo — President Milei welcomes Pope Leo during historic visit to Argentina
   10. USA Today — Pope tells Javier Milei to acknowledge 'limits' of power in Argentina
   11. Financial Times — Pope Leo and Javier Milei offer duelling visions of society in Argentina
   12. Bloomberg.com — Pope Urges Latin American Unity After Milei Ignores Lula’s Win
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