Argentine president meets with pope in tension-easing visit

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ROME 

Argentine President Javier Milei met with Pope Francis at the Vatican Monday, bearing pastries and other gifts as he seeks reconciliation with the pontiff he often derided in the past. 

The two compatriots spoke for about an hour, an unusually long duration for a private audience with the pope.

Milei, often described as a maverick right-wing libertarian, insulted the Pope on several occasions before becoming Argentina's president late last year, but has changed tack since then, seeking to consolidate public support in his majority-Catholic country.

Argentina is currently afflicted by its worst economic crisis in decades, with sky-high inflation and parliament's opposition to a major economic reform package Milei has tried to implement.

After his meeting with the pope, Milei and a delegation of Argentine officials came together with the Vatican's Secretary of State Piero Parolin and Secretary for Relations with States Paul Gallagher.

"During the cordial discussions, which took place at the Secretariat of State, appreciation was expressed for the good relations between the Holy See and the Argentine Republic, and the will to strengthen them further," the Vatican said in a statement.

"The parties then addressed the new Government's program to counter the economic crisis (in Argentina)."

The Vatican added that attention "then turned to various themes of an international character, especially ongoing conflicts and the commitment to peace among nations."

Milei, who is visiting the Vatican and Italy after a state trip to Israel, will meet Italy's president and prime minister in the afternoon.