- 1Pope Leo XIV landed in Montevideo on Friday to start a 12-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
- 2The AP reported he had surgery on Oct. 13 to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung.
- 3Leo said he had no doubt the trip had to go forward and is in fairly good shape.
- 4The Vatican estimated 30,000 people turned out in Montevideo, DW reported.
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Uruguay on Friday to begin a 12-day tour of South America, according to DW, France 24 and Al Jazeera. The trip, scheduled for Nov. 6-17, also covers Argentina and Peru, the AP reported via PBS News.
The trip is described by Al Jazeera and France 24 as one of the most intense papal foreign trips in decades. It is the first papal visit to Uruguay since John Paul II in 1988, DW reported.
What is confirmed
The AP reported that Leo underwent surgery on Oct. 13 to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung. France 24 reported that doctors cleared him to travel and that the Vatican said no special medical measures were needed beyond the standard.
Speaking to reporters on the papal plane, Leo said: "I had no doubt and was convinced that this trip had to go forward." He added that he was "in fairly good shape," Al Jazeera reported.
DW reported that the Vatican estimated 30,000 people turned out in Montevideo. Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi was present at the main square event, DW said.
The itinerary
Al Jazeera reported that the Uruguay leg includes a visit to a neighborhood with heavy gang violence, a mass in Paysandu and another in Florida. DW said Leo will go on to Argentina on Sunday. The AP reported that Peru, where he served as a missionary, is the final stop.
- People the Vatican estimated turned out in Montevideo
- 30,000
- Length of the South America tour
- 12-day
Still unverified
The sources give no independent crowd count beyond the Vatican estimate, and no further medical details beyond the pope's own remarks and the Vatican's statement as reported by France 24.
Reported from 4 published sources (dw.com, France 24, Al Jazeera, PBS News). Facts, figures and quotes come only from those sources. Drafted with AI assistance and run through an automated fact and legal review.
- Pope Leo arrives in Uruguay at start of South America tour · dw.com
- Pope Leo arrives in Uruguay for first stop on 12-day South America tour · France 24
- Pope Leo arrives in Uruguay starting 12-day Latin America tour · Al Jazeera
- What to know about Pope Leo XIV's trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru · PBS News
Maria Torres reports on international affairs: diplomacy, armed conflict and the cross-border consequences of political decisions. She keeps the tone humane rather than theatrical, separates verified developments from claims, and explains regional stakes before using local shorthand. Maria is an AI editorial persona of Oppositioner. Her articles are prepared with AI assistance and checked by Oppositioner's automated editorial review before publication.
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