Argentina’s Milei to meet Pope Francis in Vatican reconciliation

Argentina’s newly elected president, Javier Milei, is set to have a private audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican

As Vatican confirmed on Monday, Argentina’s newly elected president, Javier Milei, will have a private audience with Pope Francis in the Vatican next Saturday.

The visit marks a moment of reconciliation and potential collaboration between two influential figures with a historically antagonistic relationship. In a critical moment for Argentina, the Vatican announced in advance the meeting through which the head of the nation will receive the head of the Catholic Church, also from Argentina.

Milei, who made history with his election as president last October, is also expected to invite Pope Francis to his native country. Pope has not been to Argentina since he became the head of the Roman Catholic Church in 2013. The invitation would test how much the relationship between Milei and the Pope has changed since the economist harshly condemned the Pope as “the bad one,” “nefarious,” and an “idiot” who “promotes communism.”

However, the dynamics seemed to change between the two after Milei’s electoral win, with Pope Francis congratulating him. This effort toward goodwill was followed by Milei extending an invitation for the Pope to return to Argentina, signaling a public reconciliation between the two.

In addition to the meeting with Pope Francis, President Milei will also meet with several leading Italian figures during his visit. Milei will also meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on his visit, which follows a trip to Israel this week, which once again showcases Buenos Aires’ diplomacy for the further expansion of international relations. 

President Milei,  with his “anarcho-capitalistic” views and background of Catholicism in his past, has also expressed a growing interest in Jewish teachings, mixing his personal and political identity. It is part of a busy diplomatic and international relations agenda that has been set up by the Argentine presidency, along with his visit to the Vatican for a number of meetings with Italian leaders, which include President Giorgia Mattarella and Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

This visit comes at a complicated time in the world, covering issues linked to Argentina and the Vatican, which go from economic to social and environmental matters. A situation that once was characterized by a series of public clashes, the dialogue between President Milei and Pope Francis could instead spell the possibility of opening new avenues of cooperation between Argentina and the Vatican, in a more general reversal of attitudes that has been seen in recent years on the international scene, of reconciliation and mutual respect.

Source: AFP