Pope Leo delivers politically charged message of hope to a struggling Argentina

Addressing millions in Buenos Aires and visiting marginalized communities, the pontiff offered a spiritual anchor and a stark message of economic justice to a deeply polarized nation.BUENOS AIRES (CN) — Pope Leo addressed 2.5 million loyalists in Buenos Aires mid-morning Monday, in a moving and political visit, the first from a pope in nearly 40 years.The social message of Pope Francis, his Argentine predecessor who died in early 2025, reverberated during his days in the country.“Before I got here, I was a little broken,” said Ana Gonzalez, who had traveled over 250 miles from the province of Entre Ríos to attend a papal mass in Palermo, a central neighborhood of Buenos Aires.“There are so many needs, it’s a tough economic situation, I work two jobs, and it’s still not enough,” González said. But Pope Leo delivered a message of hope “to keep fighting for Argentina.”And Gonzalez’s perception was not entirely spiritual.Over his first 24 hours in Buenos Aires, the pontiff spoke both to Argentine citizens and authorities who have introduced austerity policies. Highlighting the necessity of social welfare and economic support for the most vulnerable, he delivered a message of unity and peace in a polarized society.“The economy must serve the people — not people serve the economy,” he said during his address to authorities, including libertarian President Javier Milei, on Sunday.He championed the defense of “care in the use of words” and “the search for agreements,” while exhorting authorities to “act prudently and recognize the limits of power.”Noelia Heredia, 45, who took her son to the Monday homily, said the pope was visiting a “deeply hurt, sad Argentina” — a country where strict fiscal austerity measures, sharp spending cuts and stagnant wages under Milei have pushed poverty rates to 32.3%, from 28.2%, and squeezed low- and middle-income families.Worshipers sleep while awaiting a Mass to be celebrated by Pope Leo XIV at the Monumento de los Españoles in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, Nov. 9, 2026.. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)That pain was visible earlier in the day when the pontiff traveled south to Claypole, a working-class suburb on the outer edges of Greater Buenos Aires. There, Pope Leo visited the Cottolengo Don Orione, an expansive care facility that has served as a sanctuary for people with severe physical and intellectual disabilities since 1936.The stop carried intense symbolism.Founded by St. Luigi Orione, an Italian priest who dedicated his life to caring for society’s marginalized, the facility relies heavily on state support, private donations and local solidarity to operate its residential wards, therapy clinics and sheltered workshops.In recent months, as inflation eroded purchasing power and federal budget cuts froze funding across nonprofit social sectors, care institutions across Argentina have struggled to purchase medical supplies, pay staff and maintain basic utilities.Navigating the facility’s tree-lined courtyard in a wheelchair alongside residents, Pope Leo held hands with patients, listened to caregivers and delivered a stark reminder of the state’s duty toward its most vulnerable.“Their lives are not a burden on society; they are a blessing,” Pope Leo told the gathered staff, residents and volunteers in the center’s chapel, highlighting the fundamental dignity of people with disabilities. “The progress of a nation is also measured by the welcome it extends to all people with disabilities and special needs.”Healthcare workers noted that operating costs for specialized care have skyrocketed, forcing facilities like Cottolengo Don Orione to rely increasingly on community drives to stay open.Beyond the immediate relief from goods brought by the papal delegation, the visit signaled a deliberate pastoral strategy: contrasting the cold metrics of economic adjustment with human reality.For Argentines, faith remains a social anchor amidst hardship. The legacy of Francis, the first Latin American pope and a native son of Buenos Aires, left a deep imprint, making any papal return a charged moment of spiritual reflection.Pope Leo XIV shakes hands with Argentina's President Javier Milei as he meets authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps at Palacio Libertad in Buenos Aires, on the third day of his twelve-day apostolic journey to South America, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)Milei, a vocal critic of progressive clergy, took a diplomatic tone during the visit. Despite labeling Pope Francis the “representative of evil on Earth” and a “filthy communist” before taking office, he warmly welcomed Pope Leo and celebrated his presence in Argentina.On Monday afternoon, following his visit to Claypole and public mass, Leo held a high-profile meeting with representatives of the labor and business sectors at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina campus in Puerto Madero.The pope will travel to the central province of Córdoba Tuesday, where he is scheduled to celebrate an open-air mass on the campus of the National University of Córdoba and meet privately with local workers and community representatives at an aerospace facility.Following his return to Buenos Aires late Tuesday, the pope will conclude the Argentine leg of his journey Wednesday morning with a visit to a federal correctional facility and a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján, the nation’s patronal shrine.He is slated to depart from Ezeiza International Airport on Wednesday afternoon for Lima, Peru, marking the final stage of his South American tour.Lucía Cholakian Herrera is a Courthouse News correspondent based in Buenos Aires, ArgentinaSubscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads