Pope Leo XIV to visit violent Montevideo neighborhood during South American tour

Residents of the Borro neighborhood in Montevideo, Uruguay, will have a temporary reprieve from the daily sound of gunfire when Pope Leo XIV visits their parish on November 6. The pontiff’s arrival marks the start of a twelve-day tour across Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, a schedule he confirmed after recently disclosing a cancer diagnosis. For families in this district on the capital’s north side, the visit offers a momentary pause in a routine dictated by territorial disputes between drug dealers.

The area faces a sharp rise in lethal violence. Official counts show that 98 homicides were registered in Montevideo through September, a 13.5 percent increase over the same period in 2025. More than 46 percent of those killings occurred in Borro and its surrounding blocks. While Uruguay maintains a regional homicide rate of roughly 10 per 100,000 people, Interior Minister Carlos Negro described the numbers as epidemic in late 2025. In response, the government has begun deploying armored vehicles for patrols, units originally donated by the United States for U.N. peacekeeping missions.

Rev. Pablo Coimbra, who heads the Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, describes the immediate danger to neighbors. Families know exactly when to retreat indoors as machine-gun bursts echo through the streets. Coimbra noted that residents throw themselves to the ground during these episodes because stray bullets land without warning. The church acts as a medical triage point, with neighbors bringing the wounded there because ambulances will not travel further into the neighborhood. In the past, gangs have forced families to move out at gunpoint to establish drug dens, pushing those displaced into the parish for shelter.

The parish also drives local economic activity and social support. It is currently overseeing a social housing project where residents are constructing more than 100 units with sanitation systems, a process that creates local jobs. The organization also runs a soccer field, though training for young players has been suspended as a precaution following recent shootings. Archbishop Daniel Sturla stated that Borro has the strongest Catholic presence in the country. He toured the area with reporters the day after meeting a Vatican delegation to prepare for the pope’s arrival.

Faith provides a community for those seeking to leave crime behind. On Mondays, the parish holds Mass for homeless individuals, drawing dozens from across the city. Coimbra said these visitors come for bathroom access and meals, but primarily to be heard. During communion, many hold their arms crossed over their chests, indicating they have not been baptized. Church data from 2025 shows that only 2,200 of the 30,000 newborns in Uruguay received that sacrament.

Pablo Acosta, 28, was born in Borro and worked in local markets while living between shelters and the streets. He has a gunshot wound in his stomach and stab wounds from past debts and conflicts. He is currently trying to quit drugs and sends money to his 10-year-old son, whom he does not see. Coimbra said the church intervenes in areas where young people lack clubs, English classes, or rugby teams, aiming to prevent idleness from leading to crime.