Pope Leo XIV called on Argentines to overcome political divisions, respect those who think differently, and strengthen national unity. He did so in his first public speech in Argentina, delivered on Sunday at the Palacio Libertad in Buenos Aires, before President Javier Milei, members of the cabinet, governors, legislators, and members of the Judiciary.
During his address, the pontiff insisted on dialogue and the patient search for agreements as conditions for strengthening democracy. Although he did not mention the president or specific decisions of his government, he did refer to the polarization running through Argentine society and stressed the need for the different sectors to recognize one another, even when they hold opposing positions.
Leo XIV also referred to the difficult economic situation of many families, to unemployment, and to the situation of retirees and underemployed workers. In this regard, he affirmed that the economy must serve people and not the other way around. His words come amid the debate over budget cuts and the financing of the public sector.
On the social front, the pope called for strengthening universities, vocational training, scientific research, and opportunities for young people. He also defended care for persons with disabilities. He further warned that organized crime, human trafficking, arms and drug trafficking, as well as corruption, deeply harm society, and called for coordination by the State and solid institutions to combat these scourges.
The pontiff recalled his predecessor, Pope Francis, the first Argentine pope, who died in 2025. His visit is the first by a pope to Argentina since that of John Paul II in 1987. Leo XIV arrived from Uruguay, as part of a tour of South America, and concluded his speech by calling for unity and invoking Our Lady of Luján, patroness of the country.