Pope Leo XIV greets Peruvian President José María Balcázar June 18, 2026, at the Vatican. (OSV News/Vatican Media/Simone Risoluti)
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Pope Leo XIV met with Peruvian President José María Balcázar at the Vatican June 18 for a nearly two-hour discussion, after which the president revealed details of a possible papal trip to Peru in November.
The papal visit could span eight to 10 days in early November, with planned stops in Lima, Chiclayo, Piura, Pucallpa and Cusco, Balcázar said in a statement put out by the Peruvian government after the meeting.
A helicopter transfer to the high Andean towns of Incahuasi and Cañaris is also under consideration, as well as potential visits to Puno and Iquitos, pending logistical and security evaluations by the Vatican, according to the Peruvian newspaper La República reported.
The Vatican has not officially confirmed the papal visit to Peru.
Speaking to Radio Programas del Perú (RPP) after the meeting, Balcázar said Pope Leo spoke warmly during their Vatican meeting about returning to Chiclayo, the northwestern city where he served as bishop for nearly a decade.
"He is excited to eat again in Chiclayo," the president said, listing typical dishes from the region, including duck with rice and goat.
Leo holds dual citizenship in Peru and the United States. He first arrived in the country as an Augustinian missionary in 1985 and was appointed apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo in 2014 before becoming its bishop. He obtained Peruvian nationality in 2015 before being transferred to the Vatican in 2023.
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Balcázar's visit comes as votes are still being counted in Peru's June 7 runoff presidential election between Keiko Fujimori and Roberto Sanchez. Electoral authorities have said an official winner is expected to be declared by July 15. Balcázar is not a candidate in the race.
During his visit to the Vatican, Balcázar also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the secretary for relations with states and international organizations.
The Holy See Press Office said discussions focused on socioeconomic trends, illegal mining, promotion of the common good, and social cohesion. Talks also addressed the broader regional and international situation, with particular attention to migration, organized crime, and the consequences of ongoing conflicts.
Balcázar said Leo urged Peruvians to set aside their political divisions to be more united. The president added that the pope is aware of Peru's security challenges and is praying that migrants be treated humanely and that human rights are respected.
A potential papal trip to South America could likely also include stops in Uruguay and Argentina. Uruguay's bishops' conference said in May that there is "a high probability" Pope Leo XIV will visit the country in late 2026, though no official date has been announced.
