The politization of evangelical movements in Latin America, especally in Mexico: influence on political discourse and the construction of social meanings

Abstract

Since the 1980s, we have witnessed a process of politicization of evangelical movements throughout Latin America. Our methodology is a content analysis of diverse academic documentation on the consolidation of an evangelical political identity and the capacity of these movements to propose political alternatives that are reshaping the political scene in several countries that we cite, which is complemented by an analysis of the electoral and presidential discourse in Mexico. The evangelical movement has great strengths that predict its development in the future, such as its presence in the State, its capacity to articulate with diverse political sectors, or its leading role in the construction of social meanings. This phenomenon not only reflects changes in the political panorama of the region but also poses new challenges and dynamics for democracy and political representation in Latin America, due to the search for a political identity within the evangelical community and the weakening of traditional political parties.