Pope Leo's Health: 12-Day South American Trip Begins in Montevideo

Pope Leo XIV arrived in Montevideo, Uruguay, on Thursday to begin a 12-day tour spanning three South American countries. The journey marks his first major overseas trip since undergoing surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung last month. Vatican officials confirmed that the 70-year-old pontiff has completed his two-week recovery period and requires no further treatment.

The itinerary is extensive by design. Leo will take 12 flights, including two helicopter rides, and deliver 36 speeches across 10 cities. The route includes Cusco, Peru, which sits at an elevation exceeding 11,000 feet. At that altitude, even healthy travelers may require supplemental oxygen due to thin air. Maria Montserrat Alvar, the Vatican's communications chief, stated that doctors are confident in the pope's condition and that medical care will be available on board his transport.

Uruguay serves as the initial stop for the tour. The choice is notable given the nation's strict secular tradition and a population of approximately 3.5 million. Only about one-third of Uruguayans identify as Catholic, and fewer practice the faith regularly, according to Mariana Pomiés, director of the polling firm CIFRA. When asked why the visit targets such a secular country, Alvar responded that the Gospel is meant to go everywhere.

Local preparations focused on modest infrastructure. Volunteers in the working-class neighborhood of Casavalle cleaned streets and erected a simple stage outside the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Father Pablo Coimbra, who has led the community for six years, said the visit places residents who often live on the margins of opportunity at the center of attention. A proposed address to the parliament was dropped after public backlash, but President Yamandú Orsi will host a welcome ceremony near the main cathedral.

The tour moves to Argentina on Sunday, fulfilling a wish of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who died before returning to his homeland. The visit tests how Leo navigates relations with right-wing populist leaders. President Javier Milei, whose austerity measures have pushed millions into poverty, has clashed with the pope's social teachings. Milei also supports a largely unfettered approach to artificial intelligence regulation, a stance that contrasts with Leo's recent encyclical calling for ethical safeguards in the age of AI.

The final leg returns to Peru, where Leo spent two decades as a missionary and later as Bishop of Chiclayo. He became a naturalized Peruvian in 2015 and has cited the country as the primary shaper of his life. The itinerary includes meetings with President Keiko Fujimori. Leo previously criticized the military violence of her father's dictatorship and supported the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. For many Uruguayans, however, the new pope remains less familiar than Francis. Juan Martin Guerreiro, a local resident, admitted the pope does not feel as influential to him but is willing to give him a chance because he is South American.