Pope Leo XIV Confronts Austerity: Pope urges Argentina to shield vulnerable from Milei's austerity measures

Pope Leo XIV told Argentine business and labor leaders on Monday that removing a person’s job inflicts a severe wound on their dignity. Speaking at the Catholic University of Argentina, the American pontiff framed the issue as more than an economic loss, stating that it deprives individuals of the ability to contribute to society and pushes them into exclusion.

The address marked the culmination of a politically charged day for Leo, who is visiting a country that has not hosted a pope in nearly 40 years. His first stop was the Cottolengo Don Orione, a large care facility south of Buenos Aires that houses more than 400 people with disabilities. Residents and staff wept upon his arrival, and he embraced individuals in wheelchairs. He declared that a nation's progress is measured by how it welcomes people with specific needs.

The visit to the facility occurred against the backdrop of a funding dispute. President Javier Milei's government has withheld much of the budget for disability care, despite Congress passing a law over his veto last year to restore it. Authorities paid the facility approximately $535,000 for medicine, diapers, and food before the visit, covering four of the 12 months owed, according to Fernando Montero, who oversees its disability services. The Senate plans to consider legislation in the coming days that would earmark funds for disability benefits in next year's budget.

Leo’s speech to labor and business leaders invoked the social teaching of his predecessor, Pope Francis, specifically the concepts of land, housing, and work. The hall erupted when he used the phrase tierra, techo y trabajo. He argued that private property is always subject to a social mortgage and that when the domination of a few becomes the rule, work turns into exploitation. Workers are then valued solely for their efficiency.

The audience included union leaders who have organized general strikes against Milei and industrialists facing pressure from cheap imports. It also featured informal workers, a demographic that has grown from 41% of the labor force when Milei took office to 45%. Hugo Godoy, secretary-general of the Autonomous Argentine Workers’ Central, said the speech served as encouragement to keep resisting the deteriorating living conditions.

Milei praised the pope’s earlier speech to officials on Sunday as outstanding but avoided elaborating on its substance. He stated he did not want to fall into the mud of using the speech politically. Opposition leaders, however, viewed the message as a direct critique. Axel Kicillof, the governor of Buenos Aires province and a prominent Peronist figure, urged those who had closed their ears to listen to the pope.

Leo also addressed the impact of technology, warning that artificial intelligence and unregulated automation can put countless jobs at risk. He called on governments to shield workers, a stance that contrasts with Milei’s efforts to court billions of dollars in AI investment while opposing regulation of the technology. The pope hailed labor unions as indispensable institutions when they defend those without a voice and defended informal worker movements that Milei's government has barred from distributing welfare payments.

The visit capped with a Mass at the Monumento a los Españoles, drawing an estimated 2.5 million people. The government declared a national holiday to allow attendance. In his homily, Leo stated that Argentine families remain the bedrock of society despite facing joblessness, violence, and addiction. He urged the faithful not to give in to those who dismiss the Christian family as outdated. Isabel Martín, 73, said she was praying for the pope to touch the heart of Milei, noting that the weakest cannot bear the burden of adjustment.

Argentina’s minimum pension stands at about $300, which is roughly a quarter of what an older adult needs to cover medicine, housing, and food. Margarita Lanús, who turned 16 on Monday, shared a birthday cake on the sidewalk while waiting for the service. She noted that she liked that the pope says things as they are and goes straight to the point.