Tributes from Latin American leaders poured in Thursday after Robert Francis Prevost was elected the new leader of the Catholic Church, taking the name Leo XIV.
Born in Chicago in 1955, Leo holds dual US and Peruvian nationality, having first arrived in the South American nation as a young Augustinian missionary and residing there for years.
In his initial address as pope, Leo surprised the audience in St. Peter’s Square by speaking briefly in Spanish and expressing gratitude to the church in Peru.
Peruvian President Dina Boluarte congratulated the pope on his election and acknowledged his significant work during his time in the country. She described Leo’s election as a “historic moment for Peru and the world.”
“Today, we celebrate a historic moment for Peru and the world: the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a Peruvian citizen by choice and heart, as the new Pope Leo XIV,” Boluarte said in a televised message. “This milestone marks not only the first time an American has ascended to the See of Peter, but also the first time a Peruvian, with over 20 years of service in our land, has been chosen to lead the Catholic Church as Supreme Pontiff.”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro praised Leo’s proximity to the region.
“The new Pope, Leo XIV, is more than just an American. His immediate ancestors are Latin—Spanish and French—and he lived 40 years in our Latin America, in Peru,” Petro wrote on X. “I hope he becomes a great leader for migrants around the world, and I hope that he lifts up our Latino migrant brothers and sisters who are currently being humiliated by the US,” he said.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva welcomed the new pope and expressed his wish for a “continuity” of the legacy of the former pope.
“I hope he will continue the legacy of Pope Francis, whose main virtues were the relentless pursuit of peace and social justice, the defense of the environment, dialogue with all peoples and all religions, and respect for the diversity of human beings,” Lula stated. “We do not need wars, hatred, and intolerance. We need more solidarity and more humanism. May Pope Leo XIV bless us and inspire us in the ongoing quest to build a better and more just world.”
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa “welcomed Pope Leo XIV with hope in our hearts.”
“May your word unite, comfort, and guide millions in times of uncertainty. Our prayers are with you from Ecuador,” he added.
Argentine presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni congratulated Leo.
“May his leadership and wisdom guide us in difficult times. The world needs the awakening of the lions,” he said, in an apparent reference to “León” (lion), a symbol associated with President Javier Milei.