Posted on 11/09/2026 2:11:59 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
Pope Leo’s message of compassion for the poor clashes with Javier Milei’s radical economic overhaul, symbolized by his trademark chain saw
BUENOS AIRES—Pope Leo XIV is a soft-spoken missionary who rode horseback to minister to the poor in remote corners. President Javier Milei is a chain saw-brandishing populist who slashes government spending, champions unfettered capitalism and calls social welfare “an aberration” akin to robbery.
The two men came face-to-face Sunday as the pontiff, born in Chicago but with 20 years of experience ministering in Peru, arrived for a four-day visit in a country where the Catholic Church and the libertarian president are increasingly at odds over how to deal with society’s most vulnerable.
Neither man wanted a public quarrel. Milei, who rolled out a red carpet for Leo when he arrived at the Buenos Aires airport, has said the pope’s visit is a blessing that will bring Argentines “immense joy and spiritual enrichment.” The two shook hands at the airport, met privately for half an hour at the presidential palace and then went to a cultural center where they both gave speeches.
“Your Holiness, thank you for coming,” Milei said, the pope sitting behind him on a stage. “I would like to ask you to pray for Argentina.”
Leo then spoke and in comments that received hearty applause said “the economy should be at the service of the person, not the person at the service of the economy.”
They didn’t offer details on their private meeting. But in a country where Catholic priests and prelates have emerged as some of the president’s toughest critics, Leo’s message of compassion for the poor and vulnerable is expected to have political ramifications for an increasingly unpopular president who is Trump’s closest ally in South America.
The two men...
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
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Or a commie faces a capitalist
“A Missionary Pope Faces a Chain Saw-Wielding Populist in Argentina”
Ugh the WSJ=NYT.
Yep
Pope Francis was born in Argentina but never visited the country during his pontificate.
Two men who could not be more different.
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