Notes on the Rise of Religious Fundamentalism in Central America and Its Relationship With Human Rights

Abstract

This paper presents the historical context of the 1980s in Central America to understand the social, economic, political, and human rights conditions that this region was experiencing, in which neo-Pentecontalism emerged as an expression of religious fundamentalism. This was not a native manifestation of these societies but rather a phenomenon that originated in the United States as part of a political project aimed at addressing the situation in the Central American region during that time. It was a period marked by political and military conflicts, primarily in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, whose attention and consequences led to the involvement of the other countries in the area. In the course of these struggles, Christian groups also engaged. They sympathized with the Latin American Theology of Liberation, whose central message was the option for the poor. This led them to support political movements of liberation striving to transform the capitalist socio-economic structure. This demonstrates that the religious element, which had historically aligned with dominant political and economic entities, broke with that tradition but, this time, through a small sector. In light of this, the United States made the decision to promote and introduce religious fundamentalism to Central America in order to halt revolutionary political projects. Understanding the context in which neo-Pentecostalism arises allows for a comprehension of its relationship with or opposition to human rights-related issues.