Pope Leo XIV to Deliver 36 Speeches on 12-Day South American Tour
The pontiff's first major trip since lung cancer surgery includes visits to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, totaling ten cities and 12 flights.
By Hassan Ellis ·
Pope Leo XIV has launched a 12-day, three-country tour of South America, his first major overseas journey since undergoing lung cancer surgery last month. The itinerary spans Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, requiring 12 flights and two helicopter rides. The pope is scheduled to deliver 36 speeches across 10 cities, including Cusco, Peru, which sits at an altitude exceeding 11,000 feet.
Leo underwent surgery in October to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. Vatican officials confirmed he has completed his two-week recovery and requires no further treatment. Maria Montserrat Alvarado, the Vatican's communications chief, stated that doctors are confident in his health and that medical care is available on board. She described the pope as eager to begin the journey, noting that the Gospel is meant to go everywhere.
The tour begins in Uruguay, a nation of approximately 3.5 million people with a strict tradition of separating church and state. Only about a third of Uruguayans identify as Catholics. President Yamandú Orsi is overseeing a welcome ceremony outside Montevideo's main cathedral for evening prayers. A proposed address to the parliament was withdrawn after public criticism. On Sunday, the pope will celebrate mass in Florida, a town near the capital that commemorates its independence from Brazil on November 8.
The schedule moves to Argentina by Sunday, fulfilling a long-held wish of his predecessor, Pope Francis. Francis had hoped to visit his homeland but died before making the trip. The visit serves as a test of Leo's approach to right-wing populist leaders. President Javier Milei, who has implemented austerity measures pushing millions into poverty, contrasts with Leo's focus on the poor. Tensions also exist over technology, as Milei embraces data centers and light AI regulation, while Leo's inaugural encyclical called for ethical safeguards in the age of AI.
The final leg returns the pope to Peru, where he served as a missionary and bishop for two decades. He became a naturalized Peruvian citizen in 2015 and described the country as having shaped his life. He will meet with President Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of former dictator Alberto Fujimori. As a priest during the dictatorship, Leo criticized military violence and supported the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
In Montevideo, local residents expressed mixed feelings about the new pontiff. Some, like retiree Ana Maria Saprissa, felt honored by the visit to a small country. Others, such as Juan Martin Guerreiro, noted that Leo does not feel as influential as Pope Francis. Guerreiro acknowledged Leo's Chicago birth but said he would give the new pope a chance because he is South American.
