Pope Leo urges unity on Latin America tour amid French debt worries

· Politics · Uruguay · France

Pope Leo XIV urged Catholics in Uruguay to be 'bridge builders' and called for healthcare for all on the second day of a 12-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. He said he felt better than he looked, three weeks after surgery for lung cancer. Some 40,000 people gathered to hear him in the western city of Paysandu, according to the Vatican. Separately, France plans to spend an extra €4 billion on education amid nationwide protests, but with public debt mounting and interest costs climbing, analysts question how much fiscal room the government has.

Why it matters：The pope's first major overseas trip after surgery carries symbolic weight for a divided region, while France's fiscal strain reflects wider European budget pressures.

Key points

  • The tour covers Uruguay, Argentina and Peru over 12 days.
  • About 40,000 people attended the mass in Paysandu, the Vatican said.
  • France plans €4 billion in extra education spending amid protests.

Sources (original reporting)

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