The head of the Catholic Church has confirmed to President Javier Milei that he intends to visit Argentina during his papacy.
“Pope Leo XIV confirmed to the President of the Nation during the meeting they held a short while ago that he will visit Argentina,” said Presidential Spokesperson Manuel Adorni in a post on social media, without providing further details on dates or itinerary.
Leo, 69, became leader of the Catholic Church earlier this year after the death of his predecessor, Buenos Aires-born Pope Francis, who never returned to his homeland after being elected pontiff.
Pope Leo XIV, born in Chicago, is the first US pontiff, though he has a keen interest in South America after spending many years preaching in Peru and also holds Peruvian citizenship.
During his Saturday morning meeting with Milei at the Vatican, the duo discussed “topics of shared interest, including socio-economic trends, the fight against poverty and the commitment to social cohesion,” the Vatican said
This was the first formal engagement between the new pontiff and the Argentine head of state, following León XIV’s election as successor to Francis, who died in April.
Francis, who was born Jorge Bergoglio, was the first Latin American pope in history.
After the papal audience, Milei also held meetings with the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin and with the Undersecretary for Relations with States, Monsignor Miroslaw Wachowski, said a statement from the Vatican.
The Holy See emphasised the “mutual appreciation for strong bilateral relations” between the two states and expressed the desire to “strengthen them further,” according to an official communiqué.
Milei attended Pope Francis’s funeral on April 26, although he was not present at the inaugural Mass of León XIV’s papacy.
The 45-minute audience took place in a Vatican library and unfolded in a “cordial” atmosphere, both sides noted.
Milei is currently on a 10-day international tour with stops in Spain, France and Israel.
Topics
According to reports in domestic media outlets, the “topics of shared interest” on the table included socio-economic trends, the fight against poverty and the commitment to social cohesion.
Socio-political issues of both regional and international scope were also discussed, with particular emphasis on ongoing conflicts and the urgent need for a commitment to peace.
Milei was accompanied by his sister, Presidential Chief-of-Staff Karina Milei. Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein, Argentina’s Ambassador to the Holy See Luis Beltramino and Adoni, his top spokesman.
As is custom, Argentina’s head of state gave the pontiff gifts. These included two books by Spanish ultra-libertarian economist Jesús Huerta de Soto, a leading figure in “anarcho-capitalist” approach to economics and politics that Milei subscribes too.
He also gave Leo a handwoven vicuña poncho, some local delicacies and a copy of a historical document dating back to 1642, along with a book on the Church of Saint Augustine in Buenos Aires written by Father Pablo Hernando Moreno.
– TIMES/NA
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