50 minutes ago

Argentina: A suspect was arrested after allegedly threatening Pope Leo XIV with death

Ana Maria Eftene

8 November 2026, 16:39

International

Papa Leon al XIV-lea FOTO: Shutterstock.com

Always see our news on Google

Argentine authorities arrested, less than 24 hours after receiving the information, a person suspected of having made death threats against Pope Leo XIV ahead of his visit to Argentina.

According to Argentina’s State Intelligence Service (SIDE), information about the potential threat was forwarded to the counterterrorism unit of the Argentine Federal Police. The operation ended with the suspect’s detention, and the authorities are to establish the exact nature of the threats and any potential responsibility.

Secretary of State for Intelligence Cristian Auguadra said that the arrest was carried out on the basis of information provided by SIDE and that the individual in question allegedly threatened the Pontiff with death during his visit to the country.

Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to arrive in Argentina on Sunday and remain until Tuesday. The visit is part of a 12-day apostolic tour of South America, which includes ten cities in Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru.

The tour began on Friday in Uruguay and will end on November 17 in Peru. On Saturday, in Paysandú, the Pope told approximately 40,000 faithful that peace is possible and must be built through dialogue and closeness among people. The visit comes less than a month after surgery performed in Rome to treat a pulmonary adenocarcinoma.

Context: before the visit to Argentina, the Vatican managed the Pope’s recovery after lung surgery and adjusted his schedule

Less than a month earlier, Pope Leo XIV had been admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital to have a lung nodule discovered during routine checkups removed, and on October 13 doctors operated on a lung adenocarcinoma, removing the lower lobe of the right lung. The Vatican announced that the procedure had concluded without complications, and public audiences were suspended until October 20, while the Pope gradually resumed his activities.

During his recovery, the pontiff also canceled his scheduled visit to Assisi, on the doctors’ recommendation, to avoid traveling by helicopter. Before resuming his tour of South America, there were also reports that Leo XIV had requested an absentee ballot for the U.S. midterm elections.