Pope Leo XIV votes in U.S. election and prepares for Latin America tour
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Pope Leo XIV confirmed he cast a mail-in ballot in the recent U.S. midterm election and spoke about his recovery from lung cancer surgery before departing on a 12-day trip to three Latin American countries.
Pope Leo XIV, the first sitting pontiff to vote in a U.S. election, said on Friday that he exercised his right to vote as an American citizen. The Vatican confirmed the 71-year-old leader voted by mail from his native Chicago in the recent midterm elections.
"I am proud to be an American and to exercise my right to vote," Leo told reporters before boarding a plane for a 12-day, three-country tour of Latin America.
The Holy See press office noted that Leo, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, has consistently participated in elections whenever eligible, holding both U.S. and Peruvian citizenship. Records show he voted in five U.S. primaries between 2000 and 2019, alternating between Democratic and Republican ballots.
Leo also said he was unable to vote in Peru's latest election because absentee ballots are not available there, adding that he would have done so if possible.
The pope is traveling three weeks after undergoing surgery to remove a malignant tumor from the lower lobe of his right lung. He was discharged from the hospital on Oct. 17 and cleared for travel on Oct. 26.
"Early detection is obviously the best way to go, and so regular checkups are a blessing," Leo said, crediting his recovery to "trusting God, good doctors, good surgeons, and overall I think a healthy lifestyle."
He expressed confidence that the Latin America trip would proceed as planned and noted he had not yet had a chance to play tennis, but intended to do so later in the itinerary.