Catholicism in Latin American countries has declined over the last decade, while a growing share of adults identify as religiously unaffiliated, describing themselves as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular.”
Those are among the key findings in a report released Wednesday by the Pew Research Center, based on surveys conducted in early 2024 of adults in six of the region’s most populous countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.
“Our analysis found that the Catholic share of the population in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru – which collectively make up about 75% of Latin America’s population – has significantly declined since 2013–14, while a growing share of adults in the region are religiously unaffiliated,” said Kirsten Lesage, a Pew research associate and the lead author of the report.
Most Latin Americans are Christian, and Catholicism remains the dominant religion. But the exodus from the church continues in a region that was once a stronghold for the Catholic faith and has close ties to Pope Leo XIV, who served for decades in Peru before being elected in 2025, and his Argentina‑born predecessor, Pope Francis.
The survey found that Catholics make up 46% to 67% of the adult population in these six countries. The percentage who are religiously unaffiliated ranges from 12% to 33%.
But the share of Catholics has declined in each country over the past decade by at least nine percentage points. Meanwhile, the percentage of adults who are unaffiliated rose by seven points or more.
“In fact, there are now more religiously unaffiliated adults than Protestants in Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Mexico,” Lesage said.
A decade ago, all six countries had Catholic majorities, with about six in 10 or more adults identifying as Catholic. Today, about half of Brazilians and Chileans identify as Catholic. About two‑thirds of Mexicans and Peruvians are Catholic, as are about six in 10 adults in Argentina and Colombia – but all of those majorities have shrunk over the last 10 years.
The Catholic church’s influence has eroded in Latin America following clergy sex abuse scandals and opposition to its stances against abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.
Many people, including those in Argentina, now look for spiritual meaning outside the church through practices such as yoga, tarot and astrology, as well as beliefs beyond organized religion.
Over the past decade, the share of adults who are religiously unaffiliated has increased significantly across the region. In some countries, such as Argentina and Colombia, the unaffiliated now account for about one‑quarter of adults.
A decade ago, Pew’s research highlighted how many Latin Americans raised Catholic were leaving for Protestant churches or dropping organized religion entirely. Since then, Protestantism has remained “relatively stable” across the region. In Brazil – which has the highest percentage of Protestants among the six countries – 29% of adults now identify as Protestant, up slightly from 26% in 2013–14.
The most significant change has been among those with no religious affiliation.
When asked about their current religion, about two in 10 Mexican adults identify as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular.” By contrast, roughly one in 10 Mexicans identify with any branch of Protestantism.
“What’s striking is that, despite these shifts in religious identity, Latin Americans remain quite religious, on average,” Lesage said.
Belief in God remains widespread. Religion continues to matter deeply to many people, and prayer is fairly common:
- About 9 in 10 or more adults surveyed in each country say they believe in God.
- About half or more of adults surveyed in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Peru say religion is “very important” in their lives.
- And majorities of adults in Brazil, Colombia and Peru say they pray at least once a day.
“By these measures, Latin Americans are more religious than adults in many other countries the Center has surveyed in recent years, especially in Europe, where many adults have left Christianity since childhood,” the Pew analysis said.
Latin Americans are also about as likely to believe in God as they were a decade ago. Even among those with no religious affiliation, most say they believe in God.
The poll surveyed 6,234 Latin American adults from Jan. 22 to April 27, 2024. The margin of error varies by country, ranging from plus or minus 4.0% to 4.5%.
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation U.S., with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation U.S., with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
