Catholic Share Falls in Six Latin American Nations
A Pew Research Center analysis finds Catholics still lead in each surveyed country but have declined since 2013-14.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Christianity
Pew Research Center reports that the Catholic share of the population declined in all six Latin American countries it surveyed in 2026 compared with 2013-14. Catholics remain the largest religious group in each country, with shares ranging from 41% in Brazil to 71% in Mexico.
Why it matters
The shift reflects growth in the shares of Protestants and unaffiliated adults across the region. Because all six changes are statistically significant, the findings point to a broad pattern rather than a shift confined to one country.
Pew surveyed 6,132 adults across the six countries in spring 2026 and compared the results with its 2013-14 research. Colombia saw the largest drop at 22 percentage points, while Peru saw the smallest at 9 points.
The players
Pew Research Center
A Washington-based nonpartisan research organization that studies attitudes, religion and social trends worldwide.
The details
Catholics remain the largest religious group in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. Protestants make up 35% of adults in Brazil, the largest share among the six countries, while unaffiliated adults account for 24% in Chile, the highest in the group.
Timeline
2013-14: Earlier Pew research establishes the baseline Catholic population shares.
Spring 2026: Pew conducts its survey across the six countries.
November 5, 2026: Pew releases the analysis.
Roadmap
This analysis updates Pew's 2013-14 survey of religion in Latin America using the same six countries for direct comparison. It documents a continuing decline in Catholic share that began before the most recent survey period.
Readers following religious trends in Latin America can use this data to understand how church membership is changing across the region. The shift may affect community life, parish activities and religious representation in the six surveyed countries.
The takeaway
Religious affiliation in Latin America is changing quickly, and comparing figures across survey years offers a clearer picture than any single snapshot. Following future Pew releases will show whether the decline in Catholic share continues.
Further reading
For more on the faith traditions shaping the region, see Christianity.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fingerlakes1.
