Argentine President Javier Milei will travel to Vatican City to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, who died Monday at 88. The public wake is reportedly scheduled for Wednesday, although official confirmation is pending.

A government source confirmed to the Herald that Milei will fly to Rome between Monday and Tuesday. Herald sister publication Ámbito reported that government officials are awaiting indications to organize the president’s trip.

Upon learning the news of Francis’ passing, the Argentine government declared seven days of mourning and lamented his death in an official statement posted on the presidential office’s social media accounts.

“With deep sorrow, I learned this sad morning that Pope Francis has passed away,” Milei said in a personal statement shared on X. 

“Despite differences that seem minor now, it was a true honor to have known him in his kindness and wisdom. As President, as an Argentine, and fundamentally, as a man of faith, I bid farewell to the Holy Father.”

A troubled relationship

Francis and Milei had a complex relationship. Before becoming president, Milei had described the Pope as “the representative of the Evil One on Earth” and accused him of having an “affinity with murderous communists.” However, in the 2023 presidential candidates debate he claimed he had apologized for his previous comments.

Since then, Milei has tried to mend their relationship. In January 2024, the Argentine president invited the pope to visit his home country in a letter in which he stressed his “highest consideration and respect” for the pontiff and his work.

The two finally met a month later, in February 2024. Milei visited the Vatican and held a one-hour private meeting with Pope Francis and senior Vatican officials. Yet a few days after that, Francis made a veiled jab at Milei, saying that the state is called upon to deliver social justice, and that profits and the market are “false deities” that lead to the destruction of the planet. During his presidential campaign, Milei had called Francis “an imbecile who defends social justice.”

Last September, the late pontiff made a more direct comment on Milei’s government, criticizing a police crackdown of protestors marching outside Congress while lawmakers inside voted to uphold President Javier Milei’s veto of the pension raise. 

“Workers, people pleading in the streets for their rights. And the police went after them with something that is very expensive, top-notch pepper spray,” the pope remarked, adding ironically that they had “no right to demand what was theirs because they were communists, trouble makers.” 

“The government stood firm: instead of paying for social justice, they paid for pepper spray. It was in their best interest, keep that in mind.”