Pope Leo heads to Milei's Argentina as tensions loom over austerity, Iran

Pope Leo XIV is traveling to Argentina on Sunday as part of a 12-day South American tour, following a visit to Uruguay. His first stop in Argentina on Monday, November 9, will be the Cottolengo Don Orione, a Catholic-run home for disabled people located in Claypole. According to The Guardian, the facility’s coordinator, Fernando Montero, reported that the home has not received supplies such as medications, special foods, and diapers since last November due to government cuts, a matter that is currently in court.

The visit highlights ideological differences between the Pope and Argentine President Javier Milei. Al-Monitor reports that the Pope is expected to give a speech to Milei, a libertarian whose austerity agenda has been criticized by the Church for its impact on the poor. Additionally, tensions exist regarding Milei's support for the Iran war, which the Pope has criticized.

The Guardian notes that Montero described the two leaders as having completely opposing ideologies, characterizing Milei as a "hyper-capitalist" who believes rewards should go to those who compete most, whereas the Pope teaches that human worth is not measured by productivity.

Brief written by urgent.news from Al-Monitor, Winnipeg Free Press, The Guardian — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.