Pope Francis criticises Milei government’s policing of protests

Pope Francis criticised President Javier Milei’s government on Friday, accusing it of preferring to use “pepper spray” against protesters than pay for “social justice.”

The Buenos Aires-born pontiff, who has traditionally refrained from intervening in Argentina’s domestic politics during his papacy, questioned the Milei administration’s response to recent protests during a global gathering of popular social movements at the Vatican. 

Francis, 87, criticised the policing of protests and the treatment of demonstrators, before pronouncing himself in favour of social justice. 

The remarks come after footage last week showed security forces using pepper spray on a ten-year-old girl who was with her parents at the protest.

“They made me watch a film of a [protest] repression from a week ago or a little less. Workers, people asking for their rights in the street, and the police were pushing them back with the most expensive thing there is: top quality pepper spray,” said the pontiff, according to a video of the event published by the Vatican.

"Why didn't they have the right to claim what's theirs? Because they were undisciplined? Communists? No, not at all," the pope said during the meeting at the Holy See's department for economic, labour and social justice issues in Rome.

“The government put its foot down: instead of paying for social justice, it paid for pepper spray, it was convenient for them. Keep that in mind,” he added.

Francis did not name Argentina or the President by name, but local media outlets reported that the comments were related to the September 12 demonstration outside Congress in rejection of President Milei’s veto of a law to increase pensions for the retired. 

Security forces and police clashed with demonstrators outside the National Legislature, with tear gas and pepper spray used against protesters.

The Milei government has installed an aggressive “anti-picket” protocol for the policing of demonstrations. Introduced via the Security Ministry, led by Patricia Bullrich, the strict measures are designed to prevent street blockades.

“Look from afar, look from above, with indifference, with contempt, with hatred. This is how violence is born: the silence of indifference enables the roar of hatred,” said Francis.

“Silence in the face of injustice opens the way to social division, social division to verbal violence, verbal violence to physical violence, physical violence to the war of all against all,” declared the Catholic leader.

The Pope’s pronounced support for social justice clashes with Milei’s views, who has declared the concept “aberrant” in previous speeches. 

Argentina’s head of state has described social justice policies as “stealing from someone to give to someone else.”

Presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni said Friday that the government respected the pontiff's opinion, but didn't agree.

"It is the opinion of Pope Francis, which we listen to and reflect on. We don't have to share his views on some issues," said Adorni.

Since taking office in December, Milei has applied a drastic austerity programme in a bid to rein in chronic inflation and decades of government overspending.

The International Monetary Fund has worsened its outlook for the economy, which it now expects to contract by 3.5 percent this year, after a 1.6-percent decline in 2023.

Francis received Milei for the first time at the Vatican in February. The two leaders were both born in Buenos Aires but have very different views of the world.

One is a liberal economist and climate change sceptic, the other a champion of the poor who regularly attacks the power of financial markets and blames humankind for global warming.

In the past, Milei has sharply criticised the pontiff, accusing him of political interference and calling him an "imbecile" who "promotes communism".

He has since softened his tone and invited him to visit Argentina. Francis has not returned to his homeland since becoming head of the Catholic Church in 2013.

The Pope said earlier this month that plans for a visit were not yet definite.

"I would like to go there, but it is not yet decided. There are several things to resolve first," he told a press conference.

Francis spoke before dozens of representatives from social movements across Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe. 

A number of Argentine leaders were also present, including Alejandro Gramajo, trade union secretary of the UTEP workers movement, and former presidential hopeful Juan Grabois, the left-winger lawyer who challenged Sergio Massa for the Peronist coalition’s nomination before last year’s election.

In his speech, Francis called on those present to be the “guardians of social justice” and to “fight the criminal economy with the popular economy.”

The Pope went on express concern about "a perverse way of looking at reality, which exalts the accumulation of wealth as if it were a virtue."

"Blind competition for more and more money is not a creative force, but a sick attitude and a road to perdition. Such irresponsible, immoral and irrational behaviour is destroying creation and dividing people," he added.

The Argentine pontiff went on to warn against the advance of drug-trafficking, child prostitution, human-trafficking and gang violence in the low-income neighbourhoods, as well as organised crime and online gambling.

Criticising the excesses of capitalism and the unequal distribution of wealth it produces from a Christian perspective, Francis underscored the importance of temperance.

“They say that the system that allows rich people to amass fortunes, and allows ridiculous wealth to be aggregated, is immoral, that it should be notified, that there should be more taxes on billionaires,” said the pontiff.

"I recognise, of course, that entrepreneurs create jobs and contribute to economic prosperity. It is fair to say that. I said it in Singapore, looking at the magnificent forest of skyscrapers that testify to that contribution," he said.

"However, the fruits of economic prosperity are not well distributed. This is an obvious reality that, if left unchanged, will engender ever greater dangers," said the Pope.

– TIMES/NA