Pope in 'pretty good health' as he starts Latin America tour

What the report says

Pope Leo XIV has begun a 12-day tour of Latin America, arriving in Uruguay only three weeks after surgery for lung cancer, according to BBC World News. In comments to reporters on his flight, the 71-year-old pope said he was in “pretty good health” and expressed relief that the trip could go ahead after concerns were raised last month when doctors found a tumour during a routine scan.

BBC reported that the operation to remove the tumour was successful and that his doctors say the cancer has not spread. The Vatican has framed the itinerary as a significant pastoral visit, with stops in Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. Peru is being presented as especially meaningful because Pope Leo spent years there as a missionary and later as a bishop.

On arrival in Montevideo, crowds greeted him as he travelled in the Popemobile along the seafront. In his first speech of the trip, he used the visit to highlight access to universal healthcare, saying care should be available to everyone and pointing to people who cannot get timely diagnosis or treatment. He later prayed at Montevideo Cathedral.

The journey is Pope Leo’s sixth international tour and will cover more than 20,000 miles. BBC noted that he is due to travel on to Argentina, the homeland of his predecessor Pope Francis, who did not return there during his papacy. The pope said the trip was intended to bring a message of hope to people looking to the Church.