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Pope Leo’s Latin America trip will take him above 11,000 feet, weeks after lung cancer surgery
CNN • • general
Key Points:
- Pope Leo XIV is proceeding with a demanding 12-day trip to Latin America, covering Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, despite recent lung cancer surgery, with a schedule including 14 flights, 36 speeches, and around 50 events.
- The pope will visit high-altitude locations such as Cusco, Peru, raising health concerns, but a medical team will accompany him, and doctors have cleared him for travel without special precautions.
- This visit marks an emotional homecoming to Peru, where Pope Leo served as a missionary and bishop for two decades, and he is expected to draw large crowds, particularly in Chiclayo and Lima.
- The trip highlights Pope Leo’s commitment to social justice, contrasting with some right-wing political leaders in the region, and includes meetings with abuse survivors in Argentina and Peru.
- Pope Leo’s Latin American experience profoundly shaped his path to the papacy, and this journey underscores his desire to connect with the continent and continue reforms initiated by his predecessor, Pope Francis.
