Pope Leo XIV in Peru: the Messages of a Visit that Also Speak of Justice

On November 11, 2026, Pope Leo XIV arrived in Peru, the final stop of his South American tour that also took him to Uruguay and Argentina between November 6 and 17. This is no ordinary visit: the pontiff lived in the country for nearly two decades, was Bishop of Chiclayo between 2015 and 2023, and was granted Peruvian citizenship in 2015. This November, Peru celebrates the return of the pope it considers a compatriot, and his messages — reconciliation, security, protection against El Niño and rejection of violence against women — have a direct bearing on the country's legal life, including the Tumbes region.

A pope who is also Peruvian

Robert Francis Prevost came to northern Peru as an Augustinian missionary and his life became bound to the country: in 2014 he was appointed apostolic administrator and then Bishop of Chiclayo, and in 2015 he applied for and obtained Peruvian citizenship. On November 13, the Pope returned to Chiclayo, the city where he shepherded for almost eight years, in one of the most awaited moments of his trip.

Protecting life in the face of El Niño

In his first speech in the country, the Pope asked the government to anticipate risks in order to better protect the population from natural phenomena, in the middle of the El Niño rainy season. His call is far from abstract for northern Peru: SENAMHI maintains red alerts for heavy to extreme rainfall in Tumbes and Piura, and INDECI has deployed rapid intervention groups to emergency zones. Legally, disaster risk management is a State duty organized by Law No. 29664, which created the National Disaster Risk Management System (SINAGERD), and regional and local governments are responsible for prevention in their jurisdictions.

Going out to work without fear

In a country battered by extortion and contract killings, the Pope defended the right of families to go out to work without fear. Citizen security is not merely public policy: it is a condition of the right to work and of free enterprise. Peru's recent Law No. 32743, by which Congress delegated legislative powers to the Executive for 90 days on citizen security, belongs to this framework, as this firm analyzed in a previous article.

No more violence against women

The Pope denounced the persistence of a macho mentality in society and violence against women. Peruvian law offers concrete answers: Law No. 30364 allows protective orders to be obtained within 24 to 72 hours at a police station or family court, without needing a lawyer, and specialized prosecutors treat these cases as a priority.

Reconciliation with justice and sensitivity

To a politically polarized country, the Pope asked that the painful moments of its past be reviewed with justice and sensitivity, and he called for reparation for abuses committed in the Church, paving the way for listening to victims. In a Constitutional State under the rule of law, reconciliation cannot bypass justice, nor can justice renounce sensitivity: reparation to victims is part of the essential content of the right to effective judicial protection.

What this means for families in Tumbes

With the red rainfall alert in force, the practical legal recommendations are concrete:

• Safeguard your personal documents, property titles and contracts; keep digital copies.

• Verify your property registration at SUNARP: proving ownership simplifies procedures, claims and aid after an emergency.

• Review your insurance policy and photograph the condition of your home and belongings before the rains.

• In cases of domestic violence, you can request a protective order at a police station or family court without a lawyer.

• Report extortion and every crime: silence favors criminal gangs.

Conclusion

Pope Leo XIV's messages coincide with the pillars of a Constitutional State under the rule of law: prevention before disaster, security to work, equality and protection of women, and justice that knows how to reconcile without impunity. At Cabrera Law Firm in Tumbes, we stand by the families and businesses of northern Peru with timely legal advice on El Niño rains, security and the protection of their rights. Contact us for an assessment of your case.