Pope Leo urges husbands to respect wives amid femicide crisis across Latin America
Pope Leo XIV called on men to treat their wives with respect and seek forgiveness during an open-air homily in Florida, Uruguay, addressing a pervasive crisis of gender-based violence across Latin America. The 71-year-old pontiff made the plea at the conclusion of the first leg of his 12-day tour across the region, where the United Nations reported more than 3,800 femicides in 2024 alone and nearly 20,000 women killed over the past five years, mostly by current or former partners. Leo embarked on the demanding trip just three weeks after undergoing lung cancer surgery.
The pope travels next to Argentina to meet President Javier Milei, a right-wing leader whose sweeping austerity drive has drawn sharp criticism from the Catholic Church, particularly over reductions to disability benefits amid high poverty. Leo's Argentine itinerary includes visits to a prison and a care home for people with disabilities, underscoring his pastoral focus on marginalized populations. Across his 18-month papacy, the pontiff has regularly diverged from right-wing figures by championing migrant rights, pushing for climate action, and warning against the risks of artificial intelligence.
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