Contemporary Religious Political Parties in Latin America

Political parties anchored in religious identity or issues of church and state are one of the oldest forms of political organization in Latin America. Recently, such parties have proliferated as evangelical Christians with political ambitions form their own electoral platforms, bringing diversity to a field long dominated by the Catholic Church. What forms of religious political party exist in contemporary Latin America? What factors explain their varied electoral success, longevity, and relations with other parties, both secular and religious? Do they reinforce the longstanding divide between Catholicism and Protestantism, or do they appeal to a broader Christian identity? Do these parties embrace an exclusionary Christian nationalism—asserting Christianity as the core of national identity and public policy—or do they respect religious pluralism and state secularism amid growing nonbeliever populations? This paper will explore these questions as it surveys contemporary religious political parties across Latin America.