Pope Francis held a lengthy conversation on February 12 with Argentina’s President Javier Milei: the first extended meeting between the Pontiff and the new leader of his native country.
Milei—who had harshly criticized the Pope during his presidential campaign—was in Rome for the canonization of Argentina’s first female saint, María Antonia of Saint Joseph, which took place on February 11. He had briefly embraced the Pope during the Sunday papal audience.
A Vatican statement released after the Monday meeting said that the discussion had been “cordial,” and concentrated on Milei’s plans to revive the Argentine economy.
Milei has invited Pope Francis to visit Argentina. Remarkably, the Pope has not traveled to his native country since his election nearly 11 years ago.