The Pope Lectured Milei on the Economy. Argentina's Inflation Numbers Deserve a Hearing Too.

Pope Leo XIV used his first speech in Buenos Aires to rebuke Javier Milei's austerity drive. Argentines are hurting — but the president who cut annual inflation from 200% to about 32% is not the villain of this story.

By Clara Hughes

Pope Leo XIV arrived in Argentina on Sunday, and he did not wait long to deliver a message to its president. "The economy must serve the person, not the person the economy," the pope told officials, diplomats and civic leaders in Buenos Aires, the Associated Press reported. The AP called it "a diplomatic but subtly strong critique" of President Javier Milei's austerity measures and libertarian agenda. It is the first papal visit to Argentina since 1987. Faith deserves respect. So do results. Keep reading with Altas Premium. Below: what the pope said, what Milei