Buenos Aires City Police detained on Sunday, November 8, around 10:30 a.m., Tomás Natenzon, a 25-year-old man who had infiltrated the security detail deployed near the Monument to the Spaniards, on the eve of Pope Leo XIV’s mass in the Argentine capital. According to Infobae, which has published the details of the case, he was riding a Kawasaki motorcycle with a fake diplomatic license plate and carried a forged Vatican credential identifying him as the Pope’s liaison with full access.
Natenzon, who presents himself as a volunteer firefighter and radio and communications expert, was also carrying four communication devices. The checkpoint where he was intercepted took place near Avenida del Libertador, close to the stage prepared for the Pontiff. He was detained at the disposal of the federal judiciary.
A pistol and dozens of radio devices at his residence
The Federal Police’s Anti-Terrorism Division later raided the detainee’s registered address in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, under a court order. There, officers seized a 9-millimeter Bersa pistol with 65 rounds, an allegedly fake police badge, an assistant-officer patch, and another apparently forged diplomatic license plate. A copy of the Vatican credential was also found, listing him as “director of infrastructure and trunking.”
According to Infobae, agents also removed 43 trunking-type communication devices, seven computers—including two Panasonic Toughbook laptops—and radio-frequency analysis equipment. Among the seized documents was a medical certificate that has drawn investigators’ interest regarding the mental health of the arrested man, so his clinical history may be requested.
Case opened for forgery and public intimidation
The case, handled by federal judge María Romilda Servini and prosecutor Carlos Rívolo, is investigating charges of forgery of a public document and public intimidation. Natenzon remains held at the Federal Investigations Superintendency in Villa Lugano, awaiting his appearance before the judge at the Comodoro Py courts. Sources cited by Infobae indicate that the hearing will not take place this Monday.
Also detained at the same facility is Damián Giles, who threatened the Pope in a call to the emergency services. The published reports do not attribute to Natenzon any attempt to attack Leo XIV, and the reasons for his infiltration of the security operation remain unclear.
Leo XIV arrived in Buenos Aires on Sunday, the first leg of his apostolic journey through Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, and was received by President Javier Milei.