Pope Leo in Argentina: a pointed message to Milei, a disability-care visit and a 2.5 million Mass

Pope Leo XIV has used the first papal visit to Argentina in almost four decades to deliver a carefully worded but unmistakable message to President Javier Milei: the economy should serve people, growth must reach those left behind, and those who hold power should listen, choose their words carefully and accept limits on their authority. On Monday 9 November he underlined the point by visiting a home for more than 400 adults with disabilities, a sector at the centre of protests over Milei's spending cuts, before celebrating an open-air Mass in Buenos Aires that city officials said drew a record crowd of 2.5 million people.

Milei, a libertarian who once insulted the late Pope Francis, greeted Leo warmly at the airport and defended his policies in his own speech. The visit runs until Wednesday, when the Pope flies on to Peru for the final leg of a 12-day South American tour.

What did Pope Leo say to Milei and Argentina's leaders?

Leo's first speech on Argentine soil came on the evening of Sunday 8 November at the Palacio Libertad cultural centre in Buenos Aires, after a private meeting with Milei at the Casa Rosada, the presidential palace. According to the Vatican's own account, he addressed political authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps, with Milei sharing the stage.

He did not name the president or any policy. But several passages were widely read as aimed at the government. "The economy must be at the service of the people, rather than people being at the service of the economy," he said, according to the BBC. He called for policies that "promote whatever creates opportunities, stimulates private initiative and ensures that economic growth also benefits those who are disadvantaged," and singled out families facing an uncertain future, the unemployed, older people, and those who "despite hard work, nonetheless struggle to meet their household's needs."

He also urged "particular concern" for "those affected by illness, dependency and disability", a line the BBC described as a veiled reference to the government's cuts to disability assistance.

On politics, Leo said democracy is strengthened by a "willingness to listen, through careful use of words, through the patient search for agreement." "Those who exercise authority have a duty to act with prudence, to acknowledge the limits of the power entrusted to them, and to direct their decisions toward the good of the entire community," he said. Reuters reported that he told Milei, known for combative and theatrical language, that leaders should be careful with their words and know the limits of their power.

The speech ranged further than the economy. Leo asked why so many young Argentines feel they must emigrate, saying "a nation must seriously ask itself where it has failed when its young people have to leave their homeland to make their dreams come true." He called for regional cooperation against organised crime, trafficking and corruption, warned that "corruption undermines the confidence of citizens in their institutions," spoke about protecting human life from conception, the use of natural resources and the ethics of artificial intelligence.

How did Milei respond?

Milei used his own welcome address to defend his programme, saying the rights to life, liberty and property are the backbone of Argentina's constitution and of Western democracies, according to the BBC. Responding to the Pope's economic message, he said his government was working to avoid "punishing the Argentines of tomorrow in order to benefit the Argentines of today."

His tone towards the papacy has changed sharply. In the past, Milei called Francis "evil on earth" and a "communist" over his teaching on social justice. On Sunday he described Francis as an "exceptional figure" and "undoubtedly the most important Argentine in history," the BBC reported. He met Leo at the foot of the aircraft steps when the papal plane landed from Montevideo at Buenos Aires' Aeroparque Jorge Newbery airport.

Milei has said he will seek re-election next year. The BBC noted he is a strong supporter of US President Donald Trump, who has criticised Leo over his opposition to the Iran war.

Why was the disability care home visit significant?

On Monday morning Leo travelled to the Pequeño Cottolengo Don Orione in Claypole, on the southern edge of Greater Buenos Aires. Founded in 1935 by the Italian priest Luigi Orione, now a saint, it houses more than 400 residents in 14 residential homes on a site of about 50 hectares, according to Vatican News.

Cuts to state funding for disability care and services have been one of the main sources of protest against Milei's austerity programme, the Buenos Aires Times reported. After negotiations involving the Catholic Church, the government and the opposition agreed a bill to guarantee funding for disability services. The lower house of Congress approved it in October; it still needs a Senate vote.

Jorge Silanes, the centre's religious director, told Reuters the visit carried added significance because spending cuts have reduced disability benefits while poverty remains widespread. Thousands of people lined the route through Claypole, some families arriving before dawn with folding chairs.

In his remarks, Leo said people with disabilities are a blessing, not a burden. Places like the Cottolengo, he said, "have much to say to our societies, which are often driven solely by the pursuit of economic success or the cult of outward appearance," adding that "a nation's progress is also measured by how it welcomes all people with disabilities and particular needs."