Milei invited Pope Leo XIV to Argentina and chances of a historic visit before the end of the year are growing

President Javier Milei officially invited Pope León XIV to visit Argentina this year. The letter was delivered by Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno during his visit to the Vatican, as part of a bilateral agenda that included meetings with authorities of the Holy See.

According to official sources, the possibility that the Supreme Pontiff will carry out the trip is high and could be decided in the coming months. The Government estimates that there are "70% or more chances" that the visit will take place toward the end of the year, in the last quarter.

"The relationship between Argentina and the Holy See is going through an excellent moment", Quirno stated after the meeting. Milei himself reposted the message on his social media, underscoring the institutional relevance of the gesture and the president's personal interest in strengthening the relationship.

A favorable international context for the visit

At Casa Rosada, officials consider that 2026 is an ideal window for the Pope to travel to the country, since there will be no national elections either in Argentina or in other potential Latin American destinations such as Peru and Uruguay. This factor is key, given that papal visits combine a spiritual dimension with a strong diplomatic and protocol component.

León XIV —Robert Prevost— keeps a deep connection with South America: he carried out a large part of his priestly life in Peru and was appointed bishop of Chiclayo by Pope Francis. That regional closeness facilitates the rapprochement with Milei's administration.

In addition, the Pontiff has already begun to deploy his international agenda with trips to Türkiye and Lebanon, and he is considering new tours in Africa and Europe. However, he ruled out traveling this year to the United States, his home country, to avoid any political interpretation in the midst of the U.S. electoral calendar.

A political and institutional gesture with major impact

For the Argentine Government, the possible visit by the Pope would represent an event of enormous institutional significance. It would imply symbolic support for Argentina at a stage of deep structural reforms driven by Milei's administration and would consolidate the dialogue between the Executive Branch and the Church.

The efforts to make the trip happen began last year, after the papal change. Since then, various diplomatic channels have been working on the possibility of including Argentina in a Latin American tour that would also encompass Peru and Uruguay.

In parallel, figures close to the Pope, such as Cardinal Víctor Manuel "Tucho" Fernández and the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge García Cuerva, have maintained contacts in the Vatican that fuel expectations about the visit.

An institutional relationship that seeks to consolidate itself

Beyond specific debates in the legislative arena, the Executive Branch is seeking to maintain a mature and strategic relationship with the Church. Milei's formal invitation to León XIV reinforces that approach and sends a clear signal of willingness for dialogue and international cooperation.

If it is confirmed, the Pope's visit to Argentina will mark one of the diplomatic milestones of the year and will consolidate the country's international standing at a time of political and economic reconfiguration.