Pope León XIV Begins South America Tour Ahead of Argentina and Peru

Pope León XIV's visit to Argentina and Peru is part of a wider South American journey beginning in Uruguay. He set off on November 6, less than a month after surgery for lung cancer, according to ANSA.it.

Preparations were already well advanced. On November 2, Perfil.com reported that Pablo Quirno had met Vatican envoys at the Palacio San Martín to review activities in the city of Buenos Aires and the provinces of Buenos Aires and Córdoba. In Peru, construction was underway on the stage for his Mass at Las Palmas Air Base, Infobae reported.

By November 2, Argentina's government was also preparing the political reception. La Nacion reported that it had invited representatives from across the legislature as part of an effort to present an image of institutional cordiality.

On November 3, Minister of Human Capital Sandra Pettovello rejected the suggestion that the pope would use the visit to criticize Javier Milei's administration, according to El Cronista. Her comments showed how closely the government was watching the visit's political implications.

Security preparations became more explicit on November 4. The government authorized the shooting down of aircraft of foreign origin declared hostile in the airspace over Buenos Aires and Córdoba during the November 8 to 11 visit, El Cronista reported.

On November 5, Perfil.com detailed a deployment including 16,680 security personnel, 2,041 traffic agents, 120 SAME medical staff and 28 ambulances. Street closures, mobile hospitals and medical assistance were also part of the plan.

Peru was preparing for both crowds and commercial activity. On November 5, Infobae reported projections that the visit could lift business sales by 40% and generate an economic impact of S/1.2 billion. Those figures are forecasts, not recorded gains.

The journey began on November 6. BBC World reported that the pope had part of a lung removed last month. La Repubblica dated the operation to October 13 and reported that no special medical precautions were needed for the trip.

The itinerary includes meetings and Masses in Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. Deutsche Welle described it as the longest and farthest journey of his papacy so far. Reports differ on its duration: that outlet calls it a 12-day tour, while Deutschlandfunk describes an 11-day journey.

In Buenos Aires, street closures and diversions were already in force on November 6 as installation work and security operations advanced, according to La Nacion. The preparations are now affecting daily travel, not just the venues the pope will visit.

The next major stop is Argentina, where the pope is expected on November 8, according to La Nacion. The political reception will test the government's stated aim of institutional cordiality, while the scale of the security operation will shape access to public events.

Peru expects his arrival on November 11, Infobae reported. His Lima Mass is scheduled for November 15 at Las Palmas Air Base, where the Señor de los Milagros religious image will be brought after passing through Surquillo, Miraflores and Surco, according to Infobae.