Pope’s Argentina visit pits him against Milei’s disability cuts

Pope Leo XIV began his first full day in Argentina with a stop at a Catholic home for disabled people, a move that the Guardian says sets up a showdown with President Javier Milei. The visit is scheduled for Monday 9 November at the Cottolengo Don Orione facility in Claypole, about 26 km from Buenos Aires. The home, which houses roughly 400 residents with disabilities, has been spruced up with new trees, fresh paint on its brightly coloured buildings and a choir rehearsing for the occasion. Hundreds of residents, several using wheelchairs, are practising their positions outside the sanctuary. Milei has made wide‑ranging cuts to disability funding, the Guardian reported, and previously called Leo’s predecessor the “representative of the Evil One”. The article describes Milei as a “hyper‑capitalist”, underscoring the tension surrounding the papal visit.

Why it matters

The encounter highlights a clash between the Vatican’s support for disabled people and the Argentine government’s austerity measures.

Key details

Location

Argentina · Americas

Reported by

The Guardian

First reported

8 Nov 2026, 14:30 IST

Key names

Milei, Pope Leo XIV, Evil One’ Trees, Cottolengo Don Orione

Section

World

Sources

This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:

• The GuardianPope’s visit to Argentina sets up showdown with ‘hyper-capitalist’ Milei 8 Nov, 14:30

Read the full story at The Guardian ↗

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