Pope Leo XIV arrived in Uruguay on November 6, 2026, opening a 12-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru with calls for negotiation, legal respect and regional unity.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Uruguay on Friday, November 6, 2026, beginning his first apostolic tour of Latin America. The 12-day journey will take him through Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
The pontiff’s plane landed at Carrasco International Airport in Montevideo, where he was met by President Yamandú Orsi. Sources give different landing times: one reports 4:19 p.m., another 4:30 p.m. local time. Neither source names the airline. Orsi welcomed the pope at an official ceremony at Plaza Independencia, attended by senior government officials and three former presidents: Julio María Sanguinetti, Luis Alberto Lacalle Herrera and Luis Lacalle Pou.
Pope Leo XIV received the key to the city and visited the Cabildo and the Cathedral. He later met with bishops, priests, deacons, religious and seminarians at the Metropolitan Cathedral.
Speaking before civil society representatives, the diplomatic corps and local authorities, Pope Leo XIV presented Uruguay as a model for the region. He said Uruguay’s role as host of the MERCOSUR Secretariat “gives particular concreteness to that vocation of fostering spaces of understanding and cooperation in the region.”
His central appeal was: “In times when differences can easily become a cause of confrontation, persevering in respect for the law, in negotiation and in the patient search for agreements is a service that Uruguay can continue to offer its neighbors.”
President Orsi said: “We share and accompany your unwavering stance in favor of the peaceful resolution of conflicts. Our commitment to dialogue and consensus, which governs our attitude at home, is what Uruguayans always promote in international organizations.” He added that “scenarios of violence and wars between peoples are not created overnight” but are “climates that are prepared and fostered through disinformation and fears.”
On November 7, Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass in the Uruguayan town of Paysandú, near the border with Argentina. Around 40,000 people gathered for the service, including pilgrims from Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil. It was the first-ever visit by the head of the Catholic Church to Paysandú.
During his homily, the pontiff used the bridge between Uruguay and Argentina as a symbol of ties between nations, calling for understanding through mutual respect, honesty and justice.
The visit to Uruguay is scheduled to last through Sunday. Pope Leo XIV will celebrate Mass in Florida before departing for Buenos Aires. He will then travel to Peru, visiting Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa. One source states he will return to Rome on November 17; another states November 16.
This is Pope Leo XIV’s first Latin American tour since becoming pope in May 2025. His emphasis on negotiation, legal respect and patient consensus-building signals the tone he intends to sustain as he travels through the region, with Uruguay offered as an example others might follow.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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