Pope Leo XIV urges Milei government in Argentina to protect the most vulnerable
On his first full day in Argentina, Pope Leo XIV visited a care centre for people with disabilities and called on the country to protect its most vulnerable. The centre's work has been hit by President Javier Milei's austerity policies.
Pope Leo XIV, head of the Catholic Church, on Monday called on Argentina to protect its most vulnerable people, focusing on those with disabilities during his first full day in the country. He visited Cottolengo Don Orione, a care centre in Claypole, south of Buenos Aires, whose work has been affected by the austerity measures of Javier Milei's government, giving the visit political weight.
Visit to the care centre
The institution was founded in 1935 by an Italian priest and houses more than 400 people with disabilities on a 50-hectare site. Known as the "city of charity", it has suffered from cuts to health and social services and from funding difficulties for specialised care and therapy programmes.
The Pope hugged residents in wheelchairs, spoke with them and blessed them. His arrival moved some workers and residents to tears. He told them their lives are a blessing, not a burden, for society. In the chapel he defended the dignity of every person and urged that solidarity be restored in the face of the pursuit of economic success and the cult of appearances. "The progress of a nation is also measured by how it welcomes all people with disabilities and particular needs," he said.
Dispute over funding
Last year Congress overturned Milei's veto of a law that increased funding for the sector. The executive has resisted implementing it, arguing it could endanger the fiscal balance achieved. As a result, centres such as Cottolengo have outstanding debts of hundreds of thousands of euros. The adjustment measures have also hit specialised therapy programmes that have long been vital for many of Argentina's roughly five million people with disabilities.
The visit comes just days before the Senate is due to study a bill to reserve funds for disability benefits in next year's budget, which Milei opposes. His government has defended the cuts as part of a reform aimed at eliminating fraud and unnecessary spending in the federal administration.
Meeting with business and union leaders
Later on Monday the Pope was scheduled to meet business representatives, trade union leaders and popular movements at the Catholic University of Argentina. The meeting is part of a Catholic social teaching message that puts the weakest at the centre of economic decisions, echoing the legacy of Pope Francis, who was Argentine by birth. On Sunday, in Milei's presence, Leo XIV said: "The economy must serve the person, not the person the economy."
Milei has been in power since the end of 2023.
