Buenos Aires (Argentina) (AFP) - Pope Leo XIV heads to Argentina Sunday for the second leg of his South America tour, where he will meet libertarian President Javier Milei, whose harsh austerity measures have been criticized by the church.

The head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics is expected to speak out in defense of the poor and vulnerable, amid tensions over the high human cost of Milei’s deep cuts to crucial public sectors.

Just three weeks after undergoing surgery for lung cancer, the pontiff is on an ambitious 12-day tour of the continent where he served nearly two decades as a missionary.

After three days in secular Uruguay, where he condemned drug violence and urged an end to child poverty, he heads to Argentina for the first papal visit to the country in nearly 40 years.

His visit aims to boost the flagging faith of a country left disappointed by his predecessor Francis’s decision never to return as pope.

In a sign of the church’s decline – only 57.7 percent of people defined themselves as Catholic in a recent University of Buenos Aires poll – there was a distinct lack of pope fever on the streets of Buenos Aires.

Few people interviewed by AFP had plans to attend a big outdoor mass in the city on Monday.

Many appeared to be taking advantage of a public holiday declared Monday for the papal visit to get out of town.

Leo will visit the elderly, disabled people and prisoners during his four-day trip, and is expected to urge greater protection of society’s most vulnerable in the wake of Milei’s cuts, which have left millions on the breadline.

Miguel de Leon, a 73-year-old taxi driver who does plan to attend Monday’s service, told AFP he hoped that Leo’s visit would “bring a little tranquility” to the country, which has been convulsed by anti-government protests.

Susana Arauz, a 75-year-old lawyer, said she hoped the pope would “take a stand” against a “despotic government that mistreats the vulnerable.”

- ‘Imbecile’ Francis -

Milei came to office on a promise to revive Argentina’s ailing economy and tame runaway inflation by shrinking the welfare state, targeting public hospitals, universities and pensioners in particular.

The poverty rate has swung wildly since he came to power – increasing to 32.3 percent in September.

A close ally of US President Donald Trump, with a similar attacking style, Milei had a tense relationship with Francis.

On the campaign trail the cost-cutting economist, whose political symbol is a chainsaw, called his countryman an “imbecile” for championing social justice.

Once in office, however, he softened his tone and visited Francis at the Vatican.

His relationship with Leo has so far been cordial, but the local church has heavily criticized him for treating key social services solely as a budgetary constraint.

Milei has also been criticized for restricting several democratic freedoms, including the right to protest.

But he maintains a loyal supporter base for drastically reducing inflation.