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VATICAN CITY (RNS) — In Uruguay’s capital of Montevideo on Friday, the first stop on Pope Leo XIV’s 12-day trip to Latin America, the pope drew on the country’s political history to call for universal access to health care and protection of the most vulnerable.

The 70-year-old pope recently underwent surgery to remove a portion of his right lung to treat cancer. Doctors said the pontiff could journey on the demanding trip, which will also take him to Argentina and Peru, where he lived for decades as a missionary and bishop.

“Recently I experienced firsthand the limitations imposed by illness, and I received care for which I am deeply grateful,” Leo said in his first remarks to political and diplomatic representatives, adding that the experience made him aware of the many who cannot access the treatment they need.

“Ensuring that health care is accessible to everyone, regardless of their resources, is a duty that confronts…