Argentines pray that Pope Leo’s visit alleviates their economic stress

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Nearly 40 years after the last papal visit to Argentina, many Catholics received the news of Pope Leo XIV’s trip to the South American country in November as a divine sign during economic hardships that have driven millions of Argentines into debt.

The announcement of Leo’s first South American tour comes at a time when the Argentine Catholic Church has been warning of an alarming deterioration in the living conditions of the most marginalized sectors as a consequence of libertarian President Javier Milei’s austerity plan. Since taking office in December 2023, Milei has managed to slow inflation and reduce the fiscal deficit, but at a high social cost.

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An art installation with a message that reads in Spanish: “Here are your people” and that includes a depiction of Pope Leo XIV is on display inside the Church of San Cayetano during the annual pilgrimage honoring Saint Cajetan, the patron saint of work, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

A religious souvenir vendor stands amid pilgrims waiting to enter the Church of San Cayetano during the annual pilgrimage honoring Saint Cajetan, the patron saint of work, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Archbishop Jorge Garcia Cuerva celebrates an outdoor Mass outside the Church of San Cayetano during the annual pilgrimage honoring Saint Cajetan, the patron saint of work, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

A banner of Pope Leo XIV is posted outside the Church of San Cayetano during the annual pilgrimage honoring Saint Cajetan, the patron saint of work, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Pilgrims attend an outdoor Mass outside the Church of San Cayetano during the annual pilgrimage honoring Saint Cajetan, the patron saint of work, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

The decline in wages and pensions, coupled with an increase in the cost of public transportation, utilities, rent and food, has forced millions of Argentines to go into debt to survive.

“I hope the Pope comes to help the poor like me,” said María Ruíz Díaz, a 70-year-old retiree who, as she does every Aug. 7, went to the Parish of Saint Cajetan in Buenos Aires to pray to the Catholic saint of work.

“The country is going through a difficult time; there are many brothers and sisters in need,” said Santiago Olave, 60, among dozens of devotees waiting to enter the sanctuary. “The Pope can open hearts and minds.”

Milei has defended his plan, saying this week: “I am not going to engage in populism. I am going to die with my boots on, doing what is right and doing what is proper. If you want populism, you have other alternatives.”

Coinciding with the announcement of the pope’s visit, the parish placed a cardboard cutout next to the image of the saint, depicting the pope alongside an elderly woman, a woman with a disability in a wheelchair, a homeless man, and a teacher, beneath the inscription “Saint Cajetan, here are your people.”

They represent some of the sectors most affected by the Milei administration’s budget cuts to health,education and vulnerable populations.

“Saint Cajetan, here are your people, who refuse to accept that work is a commodity and that one must have two or more jobs to make ends meet, or fall into the trap of loans that indebt and suffocate so many families,” said the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Monsignor Jorge García Cuerva, as he led Mass on Friday.

“With Pope Leo XIV, we say that economic freedom cannot be absolute and must always be measured in terms of the common good and the dignity of each person,” the archbishop added.

During his stay, Leo will visit the shrine of Our Lady of Lujan, the patron saint of Argentina, in that suburb west of the capital, and the province of Cordoba, the Vatican confirmed.

Leo will visit Argentina, Uruguay and Peru from Nov. 8-11. The schedule of activities has not yet been announced.

The last leader of the Catholic Church to visit Argentina was John Paul II in April 1987. Francis never returned to his native country after assuming the papacy in 2013.

The visit is especially significant because of Leo’s longstanding ties to Peru. The first U.S.-born pope spent decades there as a missionary and church leader and served as bishop of Chiclayo from 2015-2023. He also holds Peruvian citizenship.

Follow AP’s Latin America coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — New Zealand’s first full-scale tour of South Africa in 30 years began with an underwhelming 38-21 win over the Stormers on Friday.

The scoreline flattered a scratch All Blacks side which was favored by at least 30 points.

The makeshift Stormers in preseason mode rallied twice to tie the score, which was knotted at 14 until 13 minutes to go. When the Stormers lost their second scrumhalf and had no more reserve backs, the patched-up backline was ruthlessly exposed by New Zealand, which piled on three tries in the last eight minutes.

But the result papered over a performance that was blighted by ill-discipline — three yellow cards — and struggles with the Stormers’ scrum and maul. The All Blacks overcame those with six tries to three by the Stormers in front of a non-sell-out crowd of 47,130.

The good news for the tourists was the injuries appeared limited to Billy Proctor’s shoulder, seven players made their first appearance in the black jersey this year, and two more debuted off the bench; prop Siale Lauaki and inside back Josh Jacomb.

The standout players in Cape Town Stadium were Stormers flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed, who looked serene in his first-class debut at age 20, and flanker Deon Fourie, the dynamo who will be 40 next month.

No All Black seemed to push a persuasive case to start in the much-anticipated four-test series that begins in two weeks. There will be big pre-planned changes in the lineup to play the Sharks in Durban on Tuesday.

“We know we can be a lot better and we’ve only got to wait four days to get another crack at it,” All Blacks coach Dave Rennie said.

New Zealand was brilliant out of the blocks with cleverly worked breaks for Peter Lakai and Leroy Carter. Hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho scored the tour’s first try from a lineout drive in the fifth minute. Beauden Barrett converted then dribbled to the tryline only to knock on under pressure.

But for the next 20 minutes they were pinned in their half by the Stormers thanks to a string of penalties — starting with the first of three against New Zealand tighthead Pasilio Tosi for scrum collapses.

The Stormers were unlucky. Seabelo Senatla knocked on on the tryline after a kickpass by Ahmed and hooker André-Hugo Venter had a try ruled out by obstruction. While that was overturned video revealed cynical play by New Zealand’s Simon Parker, who was yellow-carded and joined Anton Lienert-Brown in the sin-bin.

While the All Blacks had 13 men for seven minutes, Fourie scored from a lineout drive in his second match against New Zealand: The other was the 2023 World Cup final which he played with an injured shoulder. He tore an ACL soon after and has just recovered from ligament damage.

A quick tapped penalty by New Zealand and a long pass by Proctor set up a try by Parker so they could lead 14-7 at halftime.

The Stormers lost captain and center Ruhan Nel to start the new half, leaving them with no more replacement backs on their 6-2 bench. In the meantime, Senatla, the former sevens star, scored from lineout ball and gave his trademark celebratory bow.

The All Blacks continued to lack cohesion until a series of pick and goes finished with wing Rieko Ioane scoring for 21-14.

At the same time, Stormers backup scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage left injured, forcing Senatla to play nine and flanker Hacjivah Dayimani out to the wing. The All Blacks took advantage with tries by Carter, fullback Josh Moorby and hooker Asafo Aumua.

Moorby finished the game in the sin-bin and conceded a penalty try for illegally preventing Stormers fullback Warrick Gelant from scoring.

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