PoliticsFriday, November 6, 20261 min read

Pope Leo begins South America tour in 'fairly good shape'

By CNA · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The 12-day international trip commenced in Uruguay, marking the first papal appearance in the nation in nearly forty years. Speaking in Montevideo, Pope Leo advocated for accessible healthcare, addressed national suicide rates, praised renewable energy efforts, and defended the unborn. The itinerary will take him next to Argentina and conclude in Peru, where he will reconnect with his former missionary diocese.

Key points

Pope Leo XIV is using his own recent medical crisis to advocate publicly for universal he…: Pope Leo XIV is using his own recent medical crisis to advocate publicly for universal healthcare access.
The 12-day itinerary covers three nations, moving from Uruguay to Argentina before conclu…: The 12-day itinerary covers three nations, moving from Uruguay to Argentina before concluding with multiple stops across Peru.
The final leg in Peru represents a personal return for the pope, who previously served ne…: The final leg in Peru represents a personal return for the pope, who previously served nearly two decades there as a missionary.

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Pope Leo XIV on Friday (Nov 6) defended universal healthcare after undergoing surgery for lung cancer as he began a 12-day tour of South America in "fairly good shape".

His sixth international tour takes him to the continent that helped shape his priesthood, just three weeks after being operated for a tumour on his right lung.

The 71-year-old pontiff will visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru on one of the most intense papal trips in decades, meeting political leaders, prisoners, the poor, as well as old friends.

Thousands of people, some waving yellow-and-white Vatican flags, lined the seafront of Uruguay's capital Montevideo to greet him as he waved from a custom-made popemobile.

But the crowds were relatively sparse in Latin America's most secular country compared with Pope Leo's recent visits to France and Spain.

Speaking in a half-empty Plaza Independencia, after being welcomed by left-wing President Yamandu Orsi, the pope lamented Uruguay's high suicide rates - among the highest in the world - and appealed for healthcare to be "accessible to everyone."

He said the care he received after his lung…

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Pope Leo XIV is using his own recent medical crisis to advocate publicly for universal he…: Pope Leo XIV is using his own recent medical crisis to advocate publicly for universal healthcare access.
The 12-day itinerary covers three nations, moving from Uruguay to Argentina before conclu…: The 12-day itinerary covers three nations, moving from Uruguay to Argentina before concluding with multiple stops across Peru.
The final leg in Peru represents a personal return for the pope, who previously served ne…: The final leg in Peru represents a personal return for the pope, who previously served nearly two decades there as a missionary.

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In short

Key Points

Pope Leo XIV is using his own recent medical crisis to advocate publicly for universal he…: Pope Leo XIV is using his own recent medical crisis to advocate publicly for universal healthcare access.
The 12-day itinerary covers three nations, moving from Uruguay to Argentina before conclu…: The 12-day itinerary covers three nations, moving from Uruguay to Argentina before concluding with multiple stops across Peru.
The final leg in Peru represents a personal return for the pope, who previously served ne…: The final leg in Peru represents a personal return for the pope, who previously served nearly two decades there as a missionary.

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Pope Leo begins South America tour in 'fairly good shape'

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