The presentation examines key facts on Latin American religion and its relations with politics in the 21st century.

1. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
OF LATIN AMERICA
Latin American religions and politics in the 21st
century
Dr. Jacqueline LAGUARDIA MARTINEZ
Jacqueline.Laguardia-Martinez@sta.uwi.edu

2. The Catholic church in Latin America
According to Enrique Dussel, the stages of the church in Latin America are:
• The first steps (1492-1519): Evangelization of Santo Domingo with the Franciscan mission,
which by 1502 had 17 religious and three years later created the mission of the West
Indies. The first Latin American episcopal seats were created.
• The Missions of New Spain and Peru (1519-1551): In mid-May 1524 the Franciscans began
the evangelization of the Indians. The Indians were baptized and preached to them in their
own language or through interpreters, thus carrying out a massive Christianization. The
original cults were eradicated by force.
• The Organization and Strengthening of the Church (1551-1620)
• The Conflicts Between the Missionary Church and Hispanic Civilization (1620-1700)
• The Decay of the Bourbons (1700-1808)
By the late 19th and early 20th centuries the Church allied itself with the conservative
oligarchy that emerged from the independence processes.

3. The Catholic church in Latin America in the 20th century
Support for military
dictatorship
Deeply involved in the
political life for social change
Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez served
as the fourth Archbishop of San Salvador.
He spoke out against poverty, social injustice,
assassinations, and torture.
In 1980, he was assassinated while celebrating
Mass.
In 2010, the UN proclaimed 24 March as the
“International Day for the Right to the Truth
Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and
for the Dignity of Victims” in recognition of his
role in defense of human rights.
Pope Francis canonized Romero as a saint on 2018.
Outside of Catholicism, Romero is honored by other
Christian denominations (ex. Church of England).

4. Liberation theology
• Since the 1960’s
• Synthesis of Christian theology and social-economic analyses.
• Being a Christian means to be in the side of the poor.
• Social activism in favor of the poor and for the political liberation for oppressed
peoples.
• It has explicit concerns for economic justice, poverty and human rights.
• It explores the relationship between Christian theology (especially Roman Catholic) and
political activism.
• It advocates for Liberation. Whether there is oppression, it has to be liberation.
• It advocates for social changes, for political action
• Influences from Marxist Sociology and Popular Pedagogy (Paulo Freire)
• New synthesis: Eco theology (Leonardo Boff)

5. Ernesto Cardenal
Born 20 January 1925 in Nicaragua
He was prohibited from
administering the sacraments in
1984 by Pope John Paul II, but
rehabilitated by Pope Francis in 2019
Leonardo Boff
Born December 14, 1938 in Brazil
In 1985, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,
directed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger silenced him for a
year.
Boff was almost silenced again to prevent him from
participating in the Eco-92, which finally led him to leave
the Franciscan religious order and the priestly ministry.

6. http://www.pewresearch.org/

7. Evangelical Progress in Latin America
http://static.iris.net.co/semana/upload/images//2018/3/2/558901_1.jpg

8. http://www.pewresearch.org/

9. Evangelism in Latin American politics
Jimmy Morales
President of Guatemala
Assumed office on 14 January 2016
Jair Bolsonaro
President of Brazil
Assumed office on 1 January 2019
Fabricio Alvarado
Presidential candidate
for the conservative
National Restoration
Party for the 2018
general election
• Growing presence in municipalities, congress, senates