The short version
- Pope Leo XIV begins a three-day stay in Argentina, marking the first papal visit to the nation since John Paul II’s tour in 1987.
- President Javier Milei’s aggressive austerity measures have severely reduced disability funding and pension purchasing power, creating tension with church institutions.
- The leaders hold opposing views on artificial intelligence, with the pope calling for safeguards while Milei promotes deregulation and data center expansion.
Preparations are underway in Claypole, a town roughly twenty-six kilometers from Buenos Aires, as residents of the Cottolengo Don Orione home for disabled people anticipate the arrival of Pope Leo XIV. The facility, which houses approximately four hundred individuals with disabilities, is undergoing cosmetic improvements and logistical rehearsals to welcome the pontiff on Monday, November 9. This stop marks the beginning of the pope’s first full day in Argentina, a key segment of a broader three-country tour through South America that began in Uruguay and will conclude with an extended stay in Peru.
The timing of the visit presents significant challenges for the host community. The Catholic-run facility has faced severe supply shortages due to wide-ranging cuts in disability funding implemented by President Javier Milei’s administration. Fernando Montero, the coordinator at the home, reported that essential items including medications, specialized foods, and diapers have not been delivered since last November. He noted that the dispute is currently being litigated, highlighting a stark ideological divide between the religious institution and the government.
Montero described the philosophical chasm between the pope and the president as fundamental. He argued that Pope Leo XIV teaches that human worth is intrinsic and not determined by economic productivity. In contrast, he characterized Milei as a hyper-capitalist who believes rewards should be reserved for those who compete most aggressively. This tension reflects broader societal fractures in Argentina, where Archbishop Jorge García Cuerva recently warned that the pope would encounter a deeply divided nation with widespread poverty.
The political atmosphere remains charged given Milei’s history of antagonism toward the Catholic Church. The libertarian economist, known for campaigning with a chainsaw to symbolize his intent to slash public spending, previously referred to Pope Francis as an imbecile and the representative of evil on earth. Although Milei claimed to have apologized during a meeting with Francis in February 2024, the underlying hostility persists among critics. Public sentiment appears volatile, with retirees recently marching outside Congress holding signs pleading for papal intervention against what they describe as lethal government policies.
Economic data underscores the severity of the austerity measures. The thinktank Mate estimates that sixty-three percent of retirees, those receiving minimum pensions, have lost approximately thirty percent of their purchasing power since Milei took office last December. While the government maintains these cuts were necessary to curb inflation, the social cost has been substantial. Amnesty International has written to Pope Leo XIV expressing concern about government decisions that impact fundamental rights, adding external pressure to the domestic political dynamic.
Beyond traditional social welfare issues, the two leaders hold diametrically opposed views on emerging technology. In May, Pope Leo XIV called for the disarming of artificial intelligence, emphasizing the need to protect human dignity from algorithmic dominance. Milei, conversely, has advocated for minimal regulation of AI and introduced legislation to build data centers across the country. He has also proposed granting legal status to no-human corporations, a move that critics argue prioritizes technological efficiency over human oversight.
Experts note the evident contradiction between these positions. Milagros Miceli, a sociologist and computer scientist leading the Critical AI Lab in Berlin, welcomed the pope’s visit as an opportunity to recenter human values against technologies that often supersede them. Juan Grabois, a left-wing Peronist deputy with experience in Vatican development initiatives, stated that absolute deregulation is central to Milei’s agenda. He argued that replacing human elements with algorithmic power has become a clear policy priority for the current administration.
The conflict over disability funding has already strained relations between church and state. Argentina’s conference of bishops wrote to Health Minister Mario Lugones in April, denouncing the serious situation facing institutions caring for people with disabilities. Despite two meetings between the ministry and the bishops, including one in October, no resolution has been reached. Social Policy Minister Sandra Pettovello attempted to downplay potential tensions, asserting that the pope would not comment on local politics during his visit.
The itinerary includes meetings with business and union leaders in Buenos Aires before the pope travels to Córdoba. There, he is scheduled to celebrate Mass at the grounds of FAdeA, a state-owned military aircraft factory whose workers have recently engaged in protests. The visit concludes a complex diplomatic engagement that tests the boundaries between religious moral authority and radical economic reform in one of South America’s most politically turbulent nations.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- The Guardian World↗Pope’s visit to Argentina sets up showdown with ‘hyper-capitalist’ Milei
