Peru Declares Pope Leo XIV's Visit of National Interest

Peru's government has declared Pope Leo XIV's upcoming visit a matter of national interest, a move intended to streamline the organization of the pontiff's trip. The papal visit is scheduled from November 11 to 16 as part of his first tour of South America, which will also include stops in Uruguay and Argentina.

The declaration, formalized through a supreme resolution signed by President Keiko Fujimori and Foreign Minister Carlos Espá, allows the Peruvian Foreign Ministry to utilize a special public administration contracting procedure. This aims to accelerate the necessary arrangements for the pontiff's arrival.

An extraordinary high-level commission for Pope Leo XIV's visit has been established, led by Foreign Minister Espá. This commission has begun gathering input from various ministries to define responsibilities and immediate priorities for the visit's success. The private sector has also committed to collaborating with the commission.

Pope Leo XIV, who was born in Chicago and became a Peruvian citizen in 2015 after over two decades of pastoral work in the country, will visit Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco, and Pucallpa during his time in Peru. This visit marks his sixth international journey as pontiff, following previous trips to Turkey, Lebanon, Monaco, Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Spain, and France.