Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to travel to Latin America from Nov. 6 to Nov. 17, marking his first international trip to the region as pontiff. The itinerary, published by the Vatican on Monday, includes stops in Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. The trip is notable as the first time an Argentine pope will visit Argentina, as Pope Francis, who died in 2025, never returned to his native country after leaving for Rome in 2013.
Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost in the United States, holds Peruvian citizenship and served as a missionary and bishop in Peru for two decades. The 71-year-old pope will cover more than 31,000 kilometers (19,000 miles) during the trip, nearly double the distance of his April tour of Africa. Argentine government officials have stated they expect up to 7 million people to participate in events in Buenos Aires.
What the Right Is Saying
The Argentine government, led by President Javier Milei, has framed the visit as an opportunity to highlight the nation’s stability and the Pope’s alignment with certain moral positions. Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno stated there are "no fundamental differences" between Milei’s government and the Catholic Church, citing the President’s opposition to abortion and his administration’s claim that poverty rates have been halved. Milei, a libertarian, has previously described Pope Francis as "the representative of evil on Earth," a comment that underscores the historical tension between the current administration and the Vatican.
Conservative observers note that Leo’s meeting with Milei in Buenos Aires will serve as a diplomatic touchstone. The government hopes the visit will reinforce the alliance between the Church and the state on cultural issues, despite disagreements on economic policy. The itinerary also includes a Mass at the Monumento de los Españoles, a site with historical significance tied to Argentina’s sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, a topic often emphasized by nationalist and conservative groups in the country.
What the Left Is Saying
Church leaders and social justice advocates have emphasized the Pope’s focus on the poor and vulnerable during his travels. In Uruguay, the itinerary includes a visit to Casavalle, a neighborhood in the capital Montevideo characterized by high rates of drug trafficking and gang violence. In Argentina, Leo will visit the Don Orione care home, a Catholic institution serving people with disabilities. Argentine church leaders have previously criticized President Javier Milei’s austerity measures for prioritizing economic orthodoxy over the needs of the poor, particularly regarding cuts to disability funding.
The Pope’s schedule in Peru includes meetings with popular groups in Cusco and a Mass in Pucallpa, in the Amazon region, where he will honor Indigenous peoples. These stops align with the Church’s traditional emphasis on social justice and the rights of marginalized communities. The Vatican notes that Leo’s connection to the working class and the poor in Peru, particularly in his former diocese of Chiclayo, is central to the trip’s purpose.
What the Numbers Show
The trip spans 11 days and three countries. Total flight distance is approximately 31,000 kilometers, compared to 17,000 kilometers for Pope Leo’s previous Africa tour. Argentine authorities project 7 million attendees for the Buenos Aires events. In Peru, the Pope is expected to celebrate Mass at the Pampas de Pimentel, where organizers anticipate 1 million participants.
The Don Orione care home in Argentina houses more than 300 individuals. Leo served as the Bishop of Chiclayo from 2014 to 2023 before joining the Vatican Curia. Pope Francis died in 2025 and had not visited Argentina since 2013.
The Bottom Line
This trip represents a significant logistical and diplomatic undertaking for the Vatican, testing Pope Leo’s endurance and his ability to navigate complex political landscapes in Latin America. The meeting between Leo and Milei will be closely watched for signals on how the Church and the Argentine government will manage their relationship, particularly regarding social spending. The visit to Peru serves as a personal homecoming for Leo, reinforcing his ties to the region’s Catholic base. Following the trip, the Vatican will assess the impact of the Pope’s presence on local religious engagement and political discourse in the three nations.