Pope Benedict meets with Mexican President Felipe Calderon Saturday, as the Roman Catholic leader embarks on a five-day Latin America trip that will also take him to Cuba.

On Sunday, Benedict will preside over a huge outdoor Mass in the central Mexican city of Leon.

Thousands of supporters turned out to welcome the pope when he arrived Friday at Guanajuato International Airport. They spread out along the entire 32-kilometer route from the airport to Leon, cheering and chanting “brother, you are now Mexican.”

It was a warmer welcome than some had predicted for Benedict, who had not been expected to generate the excitement made by his predecessor. The late John Paul II was the first pope ever to visit Mexico and widely revered there.

While on board his plane, Pope Benedict told reporters that the Church must do all it can do to prevent young people in Mexico from joining drug cartels. He said a lust for money was behind the country's drug violence.

Mexico's bloody drug war has left about 50,000 people dead since President Calderon launched a crackdown on the drug cartels in 2006.

This is Pope Benedict's first visit to both Mexico and Cuba.

The Roman Catholic Church is under pressure in Mexico from the growing rise of Protestant churches, as well as a scandal involving a prominent priest, Marcial Maciel, who was facing allegations of drug addiction and molesting young boys when he died.

During the flight, the pope said the Catholic Church is ready to help Cuba move away from communism, saying the Marxist ideology no longer corresponds to reality. He said the Church is willing to help Cuba move ahead without “trauma.”

In Cuba, the pontiff is expected to meet with President Raul Castro, and visit Santiago de Cuba and Havana, before leaving for the Vatican March 28.