“Peruvian Pope” Returns Joyfully to His Homeland in Triumphant Homecoming

Cheers of “The pope is Peruvian!” rang out in Lima as Pope Leo XIV returned to what he called his “homeland,” stepping back into the country where he spent two decades as a missionary long before his election to the papacy.

The 71-year-old pontiff touched down yesterday in the Peruvian capital, closing an arduous three-nation Latin American tour that has come just weeks after he underwent surgery for lung cancer.

Along the route from the airport, an estimated three million supporters packed the streets, while phalanxes of soldiers in red and green berets stood guard.

Addressing authorities and diplomats shortly after arriving, Pope Leo said Peru had become part of him through years of work in the country and by acquiring Peruvian citizenship, describing the nation as his “homeland.”

He pressed Peru’s leaders to face painful chapters of the country’s past with “justice and sensitivity,” a message aimed at deep political divisions that continue to scar national life.

Among those present was President Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of former leader Alberto Fujimori, who governed Peru through the turbulent 1990s and a brutal conflict with Maoist Shining Path rebels.

An estimated 69,000 people were killed or disappeared during Fujimori senior’s hardline rule, and the disgraced late president was imprisoned for corruption and crimes against humanity.

Pope Leo and Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori

‘Hope and peace’

Across stops in Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, the pope has repeatedly waded into sensitive political and social debates rather than steering around them.

His six days in Peru will take the Chicago-born pope from the deep Amazon to the high Andes, a demanding itinerary that includes a visit to Cuzco at more than 3,400 meters elevation—an especially stiff test as he continues recovering from lung surgery.

He is also set for a poignant homecoming in Chiclayo, the northern city where he served as bishop for a decade.

The visit unfolds, however, against a backdrop of a nation split by politics and strained by rising crime, climbing living costs and recurring natural disasters.

In his remarks, Pope Leo said Peruvians should be able to live and work “without fear,” while urging authorities to bolster disaster-prevention efforts and safeguard lives.

Protections for the poor

Peru’s political turmoil has been underscored by the fact that seven of the country’s last 14 presidents have been jailed or placed under house arrest for corruption or other crimes.

The pope began the day in Lujan, Argentina, where a mass drew more than three million people in what became both a farewell and a tribute to his late Argentine predecessor, Pope Francis.

“Thank you, Argentina, for welcoming me with open arms,” he said, speaking to the largest crowd of his 18-month papacy.

Many in the faithful strained for a view, climbing fences, barriers, trees and lampposts to glimpse their spiritual leader.

In Argentina, Pope Leo also issued a pointed call for a more inclusive economy and stronger protections for the vulnerable—remarks widely interpreted as a rebuke of President Javier Milei, who has slashed aid.

“There is room for everyone, especially the neediest: the poor and hungry, migrants, the sick and prisoners,” he said while wearing a white-and-sky-blue robe, echoing the colors of Argentina’s national flag.