Pope Leo XIV delivered his first address in Argentina on Tuesday, calling for national unity and institutional integrity. Speaking before President Javier Milei, his full Cabinet, legislative leaders, provincial governors, Supreme Court justices, and the diplomatic corps at the Palacio Libertad in Buenos Aires, the pontiff addressed the nation’s profound social and economic challenges.
Addressing the audience in Spanish, the Pope stated that the economy should be at the service of the person, and not the person at the service of the economy.
The pontiff warned against the corrosive effects of illicit networks and corruption. He said that organized crime, human trafficking networks, the smuggling of arms and drugs as well as corruption damage social coexistence, fuel violence, and divert resources necessary for the common good.
Combating these realities requires coordinated state action underpinned by institutional strength, the pope stressed. He said this strength also depends on the personal integrity of those entrusted with the responsibility to govern, for corruption erodes citizens’ trust in their institutions.
While avoiding direct political accusations, the pontiff made clear allusions to Argentina’s current climate of polarization and the cost of sweeping austerity measures. These measures have impacted retirees, individuals with disabilities, education, culture, and scientific research.
Weaving the country’s cultural heritage into his remarks, he pointed to Argentina’s history, culture, natural resources, and human potential. He invoked literary touchstones like Martin Fierro and Jorge Luis Borges alongside the tango and singer, songwriter, composer, and actor Carlos Gardel.
The address included a widely applauded focus on the need for accepting others who think differently. Democracy is also strengthened through daily conduct in public life, he declared, including a willingness to listen, the careful use of language, the patient pursuit of consensus, and the ability to recognize those who think differently as fellow countrymen with whom they share a common destiny.
The speech marked the political climax of a packed first day following the pope’s arrival from Uruguay. Earlier engagements included a visit to the Casa Rosada, a private meeting with President Milei, and a ceremony receiving the keys to the City of Buenos Aires.
During his speech, the pope reflected on the personal and spiritual significance of visiting the homeland of his predecessor. For twelve years, the universal Church listened to the voice of an Argentine pontiff who carried with him, in his memory and in his heart, the places, the people, and the faith he received in the country, he noted.
The mention of Pope Francis drew another wave of unanimous applause from the audience. Today, as I succeed him in the Petrine ministry, I am, in a sense, retracing his steps in reverse, coming to the homeland where Pope Francis began a story that would eventually become intertwined with that of the entire Church, the pontiff shared.
