Pope Leo arrives in Peru for final leg of Latin America tour

Pope Leo XIV has landed in Lima to begin the concluding stretch of a 12-day journey across Latin America, returning to the country where he worked for decades as a missionary and bishop.

The 71-year-old pontiff, who was born in Chicago, previously spent 20 years in Peru, including a 10-year tenure leading the northern diocese of Chiclayo, before his election to head the Catholic Church. Huge crowds gathered on the streets of the Peruvian capital to greet him as he traveled from the airport under heavy military security.

His arrival in Peru follows a stop in Argentina, where he celebrated an open-air mass before more than three million worshippers in Lujan. That service stood as the largest gathering of his 18-month pontificate and served as a tribute to his predecessor, Pope Francis. During the Argentine visit, Leo championed the rights of impoverished citizens and called for an inclusive economic system, remarks viewed by observers as a direct critique of austerity policies under Argentine President Javier Milei.

The pontiff's regional tour, which also included Uruguay, comes just weeks after he underwent surgical treatment for lung cancer. Despite his recent medical procedures, Leo is scheduled to travel extensively across Peru, with planned stops stretching from the Amazon basin to high-altitude Andean communities at 3,400 meters, alongside a visit to Chiclayo.

In Peru, the pope encounters a population wrestling with political polarization, crime, and economic hardship under President Keiko Fujimori. The country remains marked by lingering social fractures tied to the administration of her late father, former president Alberto Fujimori, who was convicted of human rights abuses during internal conflict against leftist insurgents. Local residents lining Lima's streets expressed hope that the visit would encourage reconciliation and offer moral stability during a turbulent political period.