Jorge Benavides Faces Backlash Over Pope Leo XIV Parody

Riding a motorized cargo trike to mimic the papal motorcade, comedian Jorge Benavides sparked fierce online backlash on Wednesday after sharing a parody of Pope Leo XIV.

According to La República, the comedian characterized himself as the supreme pontiff to recreate the journey of the papamobile as he prepared to enter the facilities of Panamericana TV, located on Arequipa Avenue, while the pope is currently in Peru.

“Llegó y causó furor”, wrote JB in the video description.

However, the representation was not well received, as various users expressed their indignation and questioned the sketch’s content, considering it a lack of respect toward the Catholic Church and the figure of the pope. The parodic arrival at Panamericana TV provoked diverse reactions among followers, with some internet users questioning the purpose of the imitation and determining that the comedian had crossed limits.

“¿Cuál es el sentido de esta parodia?” asked users.

“Sí, ya demasiado, JB, creo que ya es hora de retirarse”, stated another user.

“¿Qué sentido tiene hacer esta parodia? Me parece absurdo y una burla para el pueblo peruano, la Iglesia católica y hacia el papa”, added comments left by users.

Additional rejection messages included the sentiment, “En serio, hace tiempo dejó de ser gracioso ese pata. Falta de respeto total”. These opinions reflected the discomfort of individuals who disagreed with using the image of the supreme pontiff for a humorous imitation.

Despite the backlash dividing opinions on social media, some internet users took the scene with humor and highlighted the characterization work of JB, while others backed the comedic style of the host.