Man arrested in Buenos Aires over death threats against Pope Leo XIV
A 49-year-old man was arrested in Pilar, Argentina, over death threats against Pope Leo XIV on the eve of the papal visit to the country. He was accused of public intimidation with terrorist aims.
Man arrested in Pilar over threats to Pope on eve of visit to Argentina
Argentina's State Information Secretariat (SIDE) arrested a man accused of making death threats against Pope Leo XIV, the body announced in a statement released in recent hours. According to CNN Portugal, the operation was concluded within 24 hours of obtaining information about the threat.
The suspect, aged 49, was located in the locality of Pilar, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, according to the digital news outlet Infobae, cited by the channel. The Argentine Government did not release further details about the identity of the detainee.
At the man's residence, described as a "manual worker", three mobile phones were seized — one of which was reportedly used to make the call containing the threat — and a drone, whose operational capabilities are being investigated by authorities. The suspect was accused of anonymous threats and public intimidation with terrorist aims, official sources told Infobae.
The arrest occurs on the eve of Pope Leo XIV's arrival in Argentina, where he will remain until Wednesday before travelling to Peru. The pontiff concluded his visit to Uruguay on Sunday, which included an open-air mass in the locality of Florida attended by approximately 50,000 worshippers.
In his homily, the Pope called upon men to set an example for young people. "Dear fathers and grandfathers, young people need to see you praying, approaching the sacraments and treating your wives with respect," Leo XIV said, in a message that echoes the region's concerns about gender-based violence. In 2024, more than 3,800 women were victims of gender-based violence in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to data from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
Among those present at the mass in Florida, 22-year-old Ivanna Fisichella told the Agence France-Presse that "it is very important that the Pope came [to Uruguay], as this strengthens the presence of the Church in our country". Evangelina Campero, aged 57, emphasised the effort made by the pontiff in undertaking a 12-day journey through Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, three weeks after undergoing surgery for lung cancer.
Source: CNN Portugal