Pope Leo XIV will visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in November in his first Latin American trip as pontiff

Vatican announces 12-day Latin American tour

The Vatican announced on August 5 that Pope Leo XIV will travel to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17, 2026, in his first Latin American trip as pontiff. Holy See Press Office director Matteo Bruni said the pope accepted invitations from the heads of state and church authorities of the three countries. The 12-day journey will cover ten cities across three nations, making it the most extensive tour since Leo's election in May 2025.

The pope will spend November 6-8 in Uruguay, visiting Montevideo, Paysandú and Florida. He will then travel to Argentina from November 8-11, with stops in Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Luján, home to the shrine of Argentina's patron virgin. The final leg, November 11-17, will take him to Peru, where he will visit Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa. The Vatican said full itineraries will be released later.

Deep ties to Peru

Leo XIV's connection to Peru is central to the trip. The first U.S.-born pontiff first went to Peru as a missionary in the 1980s and served as bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. He also holds Peruvian citizenship. His return to Chiclayo, the diocese he led before his election, is expected to be one of the key moments of the visit. Peru, where he will spend a full week, has received the announcement with particular enthusiasm, with many calling him "the Peruvian pope."

President Keiko Fujimori said Peru awaits him with open hearts.

We await him with open hearts to welcome him back home, to Peru.

The archbishop of Lima, Cardinal Carlos Castillo, said there is enormous expectation to receive the Holy Father and that the pope is received in Peru as "a true friend of the people, of all the people."

First papal visit to Argentina in nearly 40 years

In Argentina, the pope will meet President Javier Milei in Buenos Aires. Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno confirmed the meeting at a press conference and called the visit a historic event for the country, noting it will be the first papal visit to Argentina in nearly four decades. Quirno said the Holy See requested discretion about the invitation process, which began in February.

Presidential spokesperson Adrián Ravier said the visit honors the country deeply and is a reason for celebration and reflection for the majority of Argentines. The government will create an interministerial team to coordinate logistics, security and protocol, and will approve a decree declaring the visit of national interest. Quirno rejected the suggestion of ideological differences between the Holy See and the Milei government, saying the two share values and noting that Milei "halved poverty in the country."

Leo's predecessor, Pope Francis, was Argentine and the first pope from the Americas, but never returned to his homeland during his 12-year papacy. Francis died in April 2025.

Uruguay: the first stop

Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi welcomed the announcement in an interview with Radio Mitre, calling the visit a strong signal for the region and describing the pope's trip to South America as "a balm" for an area perceived as a region of peace. Orsi confirmed the three Uruguayan stops and praised the mayor of Florida, Carlos "El Pájaro" Enciso, for years of effort promoting the visit.

It is always positive that the pope comes to our continent.

Uruguay, with the lowest Catholic rate on the continent at below 40%, will receive its first papal visit in nearly four decades, the last being John Paul II in 1987 and 1988. Local media report that a celebration at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo is planned. Orsi, who met Leo at the Vatican in October 2025, also referenced the pope's encyclical on artificial intelligence, calling it a useful contribution to the region's political and educational debate. Leo has previously highlighted the Church's historical role in Uruguay's social construction, education and poverty reduction.

A busy travel schedule

The Latin America trip follows Leo's September 25-28 visit to France, his first trip to the country as pope, where he is expected to visit UNESCO headquarters and Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Since his election, the pope has made four prior international trips: Turkey and Lebanon in late 2025, Monaco in March 2026, a 10-day Africa tour in April covering Angola, Algeria, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, and Spain in June. The Latin America journey will be his sixth international trip.