Evangelicals and Political Power in Latin America in Latin America Power and Political Evangelicals JOSÉ LUIS PÉREZ GUADALUPE We are a political foundation that is active One of the most noticeable changes in Latin America in 18 forums for civic education and regional offices throughout Germany. during recent decades has been the rise of the Evangeli- Around 100 offices abroad oversee cal churches from a minority to a powerful factor. This projects in more than 120 countries. Our José Luis Pérez Guadalupe is a professor applies not only to their cultural and social role but increa- headquarters are split between Sankt and researcher at the Universidad del Pacífico Augustin near Bonn and Berlin. singly also to their involvement in politics. While this Postgraduate School, an advisor to the Konrad Adenauer and his principles Peruvian Episcopal Conference (Conferencia development has been evident to observers for quite a define our guidelines, our duty and our Episcopal Peruana) and Vice-President of the while, it especially caught the world´s attention in 2018 mission. The foundation adopted the Institute of Social-Christian Studies of Peru when an Evangelical pastor, Fabricio Alvarado, won the name of the first German Federal Chan- (Instituto de Estudios Social Cristianos - IESC). cellor in 1964 after it emerged from the He has also been in public office as the Minis- first round of the presidential elections in Costa Rica and Society for Christian Democratic Educa- ter of Interior (2015-2016) and President of the — even more so — when Jair Bolsonaro became Presi- tion, which was founded in 1955. National Penitentiary Institute of Peru (Institu- dent of Brazil relying heavily on his close ties to the coun- to Nacional Penitenciario del Perú) We are committed to peace, freedom and (2011-2014). try´s main Evangelical leaders. justice at the national and international level. Our primary concerns are strengthe- He is the author of several books on evangeli- Touching on ten country cases, José Luis Pérez Guadalu- ning democracy, the rule of law and cal churches in Latin America: Evangélicos y pe analyzes the impact of Evangelical churches and their personal responsibility at home and Poder en América Latina (2018) (co-edited throughout the world, as well as promo- with S. Grundberger); Entre Dios y el César: el leaders in the political sphere across the region. In parti- ting European integration and internatio- impacto político de los evangélicos en el Perú cular, he examines their political strategies, evaluates the nal cooperation. y América Latina (2017); La Iglesia después de ambiguous success of Evangelical political parties and ‘Aparecida’: cifras y proyecciones (2008) (co-written with Mons. N. Strotmann); Baja a draws conclusions about patterns of Evangelical voting Dios de la nubes (2004); Ecumenismo, sectas behavior. Distinguishing between three models of Evan- y nuevos movimientos religiosos (2002), and gelical political participation, the Central American, South others. Since 1987, he has worked in various American and Brazilian, the author counters simplifica- sectors of the Catholic Church, and until 2011 tions and generalizations about monolithic patterns of The “Instituto de Estudios Social Cristia- he was director of the Social Pastoral for the nos del Perú” (Institute of Social-Christian diocese of Chosica and of the ‘Fray Martín’ political action by Evangelicals. The book also seeks to Studies of Peru, IESC) is a civic non-profit Pastoral Theology Institute. contribute to the debate about the Catholic Church’s loss Evangelicals and Political association founded in 1974. Its main goal He is a Doctor of Political Science and Socio- of hegemony, Latin America’s alleged secularization, a is to spread the principles of Christian logy (Universidad de Deusto), and holds social thinking. The IESC organizes works- re-sacralization of the political sphere and the emergence hops, conferences and training programs Masters degrees in Criminology (Universidad Power in Latin America and engages in academic research. del País Vasco), Administration and Manage- of more diverse societies on a religious, social and politi- ment (CENTRUM-EADA), and Anthropology cal level. Through these activities, the IESC aims to (Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú), and contribute to the education of responsible is a Bachelor of Education (Pontificia Universi- citizens who are committed to building dad Católica del Perú), of Social Science strong democratic institutions and a more (ILADES-Pontificia Universidad Gregoriana) just and solidary society. 2019 and of Canonical Sacred Theology (Facultad de Teología Pontifica y Civil de Lima). 17956 / Konrad Adenauer - Evangelical and Political Power / Lomo 1.0 OK / Medida 51.4 x 24 / Foldcote C-14 17956 Evangelical_and_political INT.indd 2 31/05/2019 12:39:31 p.m. Evangelicals and Political Power in Latin America 17956 Evangelical_and_political INT.indd 3 31/05/2019 12:39:31 p.m. 17956 Evangelical_and_political INT.indd 4 31/05/2019 12:39:31 p.m. Evangelicals and Political Power in Latin America José Luis Pérez Guadalupe With contributions from Oscar Amat y León Álvaro Bermúdez José Mario Brasiliense Claudia Dary Carlos Garma Navarro Sebastian Grundberger Andrés Hildebrandt Fabio Lacerda Claire Nevache Guillermo Sandoval Juan David Velasco Montoya Hilario Wynarcyzk César Zúñiga Ramírez 2019 17956 Evangelical_and_political INT.indd 5 31/05/2019 12:39:31 p.m. Evangelicals and Political Power in Latin America Issue: 1000 copies 1st ed., June 2019 Statutory Deposit at the National Library of Peru Number 2019-06661 © Konrad Adenauer Stiftung e.V. (KAS) Av. Larco 109, 2º Piso, Lima 18 - Perú Email: [email protected] URL: <www.kas.de/peru/es> Phone: (51-1) 416-6100 © Instituto de Estudios Social Cristianos (IESC) Bolívar 298, of. 301, Lima 18 - Perú Email: [email protected] URL: < http://www.iesc.org.pe/ > Phone: (51-1) 242-1698 Author José Luis Pérez Guadalupe Translator Judy Butler Cover Design Shirley Cjahua The content of this publication is entirely responsibility of the author and doesn’t reflect the views and opinion of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V. or the Institute of Social- Christian Studies of Peru (IESC). All rights reserved. Reproducing this book totally or partially is allowed if the bibliographical quote is properly quoted. Free Distribution Printed at: Tarea Asociación Gráfica Educativa Tax Payer Number: 20125831410 Pasaje María Auxiliadora N° 156, Lima 5 Lima-Peru Printed in Peru June, 2019 17956 Evangelical_and_political INT.indd 6 31/05/2019 12:39:31 p.m. Table of contents FOREWORD 9 INTRODUCTION 11 Chapter 1. HOW MANY EVANGELICALS ARE THERE IN LATIN AMERICA AND WHO ARE THEY? 17 1.1. Religious characteristics of Evangelicals in Latin America 18 1.2. Unusual numerical growth 21 Chapter 2. THE POLITICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LATIN AMERICAN EVANGELICALS 29 2.1. The different waves of the Evangelical movement and their political priorities 31 2.2. The two classic lines of Evangelical political thinking in Latin America 36 2.3. The great change: from “fleeing the world” to “religious conquest” 39 2.4. The new “political Evangelicals”: the neo-Pentecostals 45 2.5. The supposed “confessional vote” 52 Chapter 3. TOWARD THE POLITICAL CONQUEST OF LATIN AMERICA 59 3.1. The three historical models of political participation by Evangelicals 60 3.2. The new Evangelical political ideology 65 3.3. The political conquest of 10 Latin American countries 68 Argentina 68 Brazil 73 Chile 84 7 17956 Evangelical_and_political INT.indd 7 31/05/2019 12:39:31 p.m. Colombia 90 Costa Rica 96 El Salvador 102 Guatemala 106 Mexico 113 Panama 118 Peru 124 Chapter 4. VISION OF THE FUTURE 131 4.1. Three “regional models” of Evangelical political participation: Central American, South American and Brazilian 136 4.2. The new political strategy: from “confessional parties” to “crosscutting agendas” 144 4.3. The new religious look of the political parties 145 CONCLUSIONS 149 REFERENCES 157 8 17956 Evangelical_and_political INT.indd 8 31/05/2019 12:39:31 p.m. FOREWORD he political transition of the Evangelical churches in Latin America over time has been drastic. While the first Protestant missionaries that arrived Tfrom Europe wanted to improve society through the Gospel, without really playing a fundamental political role, today’s Evangelicals no longer talk of the “if” but only the “how” of their political actions. They have amassed a sizeable voting power, to the extent that they can tip the electoral balance, as the recent past demonstrates. In this new political and religious environment, governments and political parties in various Latin American countries are considering the pros and cons of an informal or formal rapprochement with Evangelical churches, be it through incorporating Evangelical leaders on their electoral slates or through concessions in their programmatic platforms, for instance concerning issues of the so-called “moral agenda”. Given the importance of this phenomenon for understanding Latin America’s current political panorama, it is rather surprising how little thorough and comparative academic research on the issue is available so far. As Konrad- Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), we aim to help bridge that gap. In our Peru office, we have therefore started the ambitious project of analyzing the political influence of Evangelicals with a regional perspective. We found a highly knowledgeable ally for this undertaking in the former Peruvian Interior Minister and scholar José Luis Perez Guadalupe, who in 2017 published the groundbreaking study: “Entre Dios y el César – El impacto politico de los evangélicos en el Perú y América Latina.” We were able to build a regional network of scholars and experts based on this first joint experience and the very positive reception 9 17956 Evangelical_and_political INT.indd 9 31/05/2019 12:39:31 p.m. Foreword of the study. The first result of this cooperation was the book “Evangélicos y Poder en América Latina”, published in October 2018 in Lima. It includes an in-depth comparative synthesis by José Luis Pérez Guadalupe and articles by different authors on the political influence of Evangelicals in ten Latin American countries.