Pope Leo XIV cleared for Latin America visit following cancer surgery

Pope Leo XIV will proceed with his scheduled trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from 6 to 17 November 2026, the Vatican announced on Monday. Euronews, UPI and CBS News all reported that doctors gave the pontiff approval to travel after verifying his recovery. The decision follows questions over whether the 12-day tour would go ahead after he underwent operation earlier this month. [1][2][4]

According to Euronews, the Vatican stated that the surgical procedure went ahead without complications and that subsequent medical tests showed the illness was contained. Doctors determined that the pontiff does not require any additional oncological treatment. CBS News reported that recent clinical, laboratory and instrumental tests showed no contraindications preventing the apostolic journey. [1][4]

In a social media message cited by UPI, Pope Leo XIV stated that he was looking forward to returning to the continent where he had experienced many moments of his life. UPI reported that the pontiff underwent surgery on 13 October, two weeks prior to the clearance. [2]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, Pope Leo XIV previously underwent lung cancer surgery to remove part of a lung due to adenocarcinoma. The earlier report noted that the pontiff had cancelled a planned trip to Assisi after doctors advised against helicopter travel during his recovery. [15]