BUENOS AIRES, May 25 — In a powerful and emotionally charged homily delivered during Argentina’s annual Te Deum mass on Saturday, Archbishop Jorge García Cuerva issued a scathing critique of President Javier Milei’s handling of poverty and social welfare, accusing the government of turning its back on the nation’s most vulnerable. According to Reuters, top government officials, including President Milei, attended the service in the iconic Metropolitan Cathedral of Buenos Aires to commemorate the May Revolution of 1810. However, what is traditionally a unifying national event quickly became a platform for moral and social reflection as the archbishop addressed the worsening economic crisis that has gripped Argentina recently.
“Our nation is in pain. It is wounded and bleeding,” García Cuerva said, his voice echoing through the cathedral. “Too many of our brothers and sisters are being pushed to the edges of society — left behind, excluded, forgotten.”
García Cuerva, who heads the archdiocese of Buenos Aires — a position once held by Pope Francis — did not hold back as he spoke about the country’s growing inequality, particularly affecting the elderly, the poor, and the youth ensnared in cycles of violence and addiction. He called for urgent action to restore dignity and care for these groups, pointing to a widening gap between the elite and everyday Argentines.
“Retirees deserve to live with dignity. They should not have to choose between buying their medicine and eating a proper meal,” he said, referring to the dire situation pensioners face. “This is not a new problem, but a deep wound that our society has failed to heal — and time is running out.”
Since taking office in December 2023, President Milei, a self-described libertarian economist, has rolled out a series of severe austerity measures to curb inflation and address Argentina’s long-standing fiscal woes. These spending cuts have included slashing subsidies, freezing public wages and reducing welfare support — moves that have disproportionately affected retirees and low-income families.
Pensioners, particularly, have felt the brunt of the government’s belt-tightening. Many now gather in weekly protests nationwide, demanding adequate pensions, access to healthcare and affordable living conditions. These demonstrations have frequently been met with police presence and, in some instances, force.
While García Cuerva refrained from naming Milei directly, the message was clear. His homily, filled with compassion and urgency, was a moral rebuke to the administration’s economic priorities.
Beyond economics, the archbishop lamented the toxic culture of hostility and division that he says has infected public discourse, especially on social media. “We are living in a time where insults, mockery and verbal violence have become normalized,” he said. “It seems that respect, tolerance and fraternity are disappearing before our very eyes.”
Observers noted that President Milei, who sat front row during the mass, appeared tense and unsmiling as García Cuerva delivered his remarks. The president and his allies have frequently used harsh language online, often targeting critics with personal attacks. Political opponents, journalists and economists who challenge government policy have been branded with offensive terms such as “baboons,” “degenerates,” “underachievers” and even “mongoloids” — sparking outrage among civil society groups.
As Argentina commemorated the anniversary of its historic revolution, meant to symbolize liberty and self-determination, García Cuerva’s sermon stood as a stark reminder of the social fractures that remain. His plea was not merely for policy change but a national reawakening grounded in empathy, solidarity and human dignity.
“We must stop the hate,” the archbishop concluded. “This is not just a political issue; it is a human one. And it demands the conscience of us all.”
