Spanish-born Father Francisco “Padre Paco” Olvera arrested during pensioners’ protest in Argentina as tensions rise over Milei’s economic reforms.
Newsroom (10/02/2026 Gaudium Press ) Father Francisco Olvera, a Spanish-born priest widely known in Argentina as Padre Paco, was arrested on February 4 during a pensioners’ protest outside the Congress in Buenos Aires, intensifying scrutiny of how President Javier Milei’s government is handling dissent amid deepening economic hardship.
For several months, Padre Paco has joined weekly demonstrations with retirees demanding higher pensions. The group, which gathers every Wednesday, has become a fixture in the capital, protesting the erosion of retirement benefits against the backdrop of Milei’s sweeping fiscal reforms. On February 4, as protesters marched toward Congress Square, a unit of federal police intercepted the group, quickly surrounding Padre Paco and taking him into custody.
According to witnesses, the priest was detained on charges of resisting authority, which he denies. Surrounded by opposition lawmakers from the Unión por la Patria coalition, Padre Paco was placed in a police truck for about an hour. After a prosecutor reviewed videos recorded by journalists and politicians, he was released, with the prosecutor determining that no crime had been committed.
Padre Paco, a member of the progressive clergy network Curas en Opción por los Pobres (Priests for the Poor), said the demonstrators had complied with all safety guidelines and that there was no justification for the police intervention. He described being struck by pepper spray during the confrontation, saying that he had to bathe in milk to relieve the burning. The priest emphasized that although officers confiscated his megaphone, he did not believe they targeted him personally, adding that protesters remained determined to continue their peaceful marches.
A Nation Struggling Under Austerity
Argentina’s pension system has grown increasingly fragile as inflation outruns government adjustments to retirement payments. The crisis worsened after Milei, a self-described “ultra-libertarian,” assumed office in December 2023 and began implementing austerity policies aimed at shrinking the state and curbing public spending. For many retirees, monthly checks now fall well short of covering basic needs.
Between November 2023 and October 2025, Argentina lost more than 21,000 businesses, resulting in over 270,000 job losses, particularly across manufacturing, construction, and commerce. Labor leader and former Argentine ambassador to the Vatican, Carlos Custer, said the president’s economic vision rests on increased extraction industries while sidelining the working class. He warned that new labor reforms could further erode employee protections and deepen poverty.
Custer argued that Milei’s policies make Argentina increasingly dependent on primary commodities like mining and oil, especially lithium, benefitting only a small portion of the population while leaving many behind. He expressed dismay at the scale of the economic decline, saying the direction of current reforms jeopardizes social stability and long-standing labor rights.
Growing Rift Between the Church and the State
The Catholic Church, historically a stabilizing institution in Argentina’s political landscape, has voiced concern about Milei’s fiscal agenda but has struggled to establish contact with his administration. Bishop Marcelo Colombo, head of the Argentine Episcopal Conference, publicly criticized government economic policies in August 2025, accusing them of operating “to the detriment of the most vulnerable.”
Custer noted that Church leaders sought dialogue with the president following his election, but received no response. He added that while Milei maintains ties with Evangelical and Jewish groups, relations with the Catholic Church have been virtually nonexistent.
Grassroots priests like Padre Paco have come to embody the Church’s commitment to social justice amid political polarization. The priest, who has been detained on previous occasions—including in March and November 2025—remains a steadfast advocate for the elderly and poor, often standing on the front lines of demonstrations.
Custer described Padre Paco as a figure of solidarity in a time of social unrest. For many Argentines, his arrest has become a symbol of both the physical risks faced by protesters and the resilience of those unwilling to remain silent as inequality deepens across the nation.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Crux Now
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