Believing Under Threat: Christian Persecution in Latin America

In several Latin American countries, where Christian devotion remains the majority, being a believer can become a risk. In Nicaragua, under the Daniel Ortega regime, religious persecution has escalated in intensity. More than 200 attacks against the Church have been recorded, including exiles, closures of Catholic channels, and restrictions on popular processions such as Holy Week. Last June, Pastor José Luis Orozco and 12 other evangelical leaders were imprisoned without access to Bibles or family contact, facing sentences of up to 12 years and millions in fines, solely for practicing their faith.

Mexico is notorious for the violence perpetrated by criminal organizations: Christian leaders are extorted, kidnapped, and murdered, especially when they defend their communities or refuse to collaborate with cartels. In Chiapas, indigenous priest Marcelo Pérez was murdered after celebrating Mass and leading social protests.

In Colombia, although its position on the World Watch List has improved, it continues to lead the region in levels of persecution. In 2024, it ranked 34th with a score slightly lower than in 2023. Armed groups, drug traffickers, and indigenous communities continue to harass believers, especially in rural areas, for their humanitarian work or their Christian values.

In Cuba, although less prominent on the list, the situation is no less worrying. The new “Social Communications Law” represses religious expression critical of the regime. Those who practice their faith outside of state channels are persecuted, detained, and harassed.

Thus, although Latin America is deeply Christian, religious freedom is far from complete. Between authoritarian regimes that control worship, violent cartels that punish any resistance, and communities that exclude different believers, faith becomes for many a courageous act of resistance.