Religion and Morality in Latin America
A Pew Research Center survey of 18 Latin American countries and Puerto Rico asked people whether eight specific behaviors — including homosexual behavior and having an abortion — are morally wrong. Even though Catholic Church teaching forbids some of these behaviors, Protestants across the region are more likely than Catholics to see many of them as morally unacceptable.
Abortion: Clear majorities across the region view abortion as morally wrong. In many countries, Protestants are more likely than Catholics to hold this view.
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
Country | % Morally wrong | % Morally acceptable | % Not a moral issue | % Unsure | % Morally wrong | % Morally acceptable | % Not a moral issue | % Unsure |
Argentina | 64 | 11 | 10 | 16 | 79 | 2 | 6 | 13 |
Bolivia | 86 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 93 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Brazil | 80 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 88 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
Chile | 57 | 8 | 16 | 20 | 78 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
Colombia | 82 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 90 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
Costa Rica | 82 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 88 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
Dominican Republic | 90 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 96 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Ecuador | 84 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 95 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
El Salvador | 95 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 93 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Guatemala | 94 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 98 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Honduras | 95 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 96 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Mexico | 71 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 78 | 5 | 5 | 12 |
Nicaragua | 87 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 94 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Panama | 89 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 91 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
Paraguay | 96 | * | 1 | 3 | 96 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Peru | 85 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 91 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Puerto Rico | 73 | 3 | 9 | 16 | 80 | 2 | 7 | 11 |
Uruguay | 49 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 68 | 9 | 7 | 15 |
Venezuela | 84 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 95 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
Country | % Morally wrong | % Morally acceptable | % Not a moral issue | % Unsure | % Morally wrong | % Morally acceptable | % Not a moral issue | % Unsure |
Argentina | 22 | 41 | 29 | 8 | 49 | 25 | 19 | 7 |
Bolivia | 59 | 12 | 20 | 9 | 85 | 2 | 10 | 3 |
Brazil | 47 | 27 | 21 | 5 | 74 | 8 | 13 | 4 |
Chile | 15 | 21 | 51 | 13 | 43 | 17 | 30 | 10 |
Colombia | 50 | 29 | 13 | 8 | 76 | 13 | 7 | 4 |
Costa Rica | 60 | 15 | 22 | 3 | 77 | 8 | 11 | 3 |
Dominican Republic | 63 | 22 | 13 | 1 | 85 | 7 | 7 | 2 |
Ecuador | 61 | 13 | 20 | 6 | 89 | 4 | 6 | 1 |
El Salvador | 84 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 91 | 4 | 5 | * |
Guatemala | 89 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 96 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Honduras | 89 | 6 | 4 | * | 93 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Mexico | 49 | 21 | 24 | 6 | 68 | 12 | 12 | 9 |
Nicaragua | 83 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 94 | 2 | 3 | * |
Panama | 75 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 87 | 9 | 4 | * |
Paraguay | 57 | 20 | 19 | 5 | 73 | 11 | 14 | 2 |
Peru | 55 | 15 | 23 | 7 | 83 | 3 | 11 | 3 |
Puerto Rico | 34 | 24 | 35 | 6 | 55 | 13 | 27 | 5 |
Uruguay | 33 | 34 | 26 | 7 | 49 | 26 | 19 | 6 |
Venezuela | 44 | 32 | 20 | 4 | 81 | 6 | 10 | 3 |
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
Country | % Morally wrong | % Morally acceptable | % Not a moral issue | % Unsure | % Morally wrong | % Morally acceptable | % Not a moral issue | % Unsure |
Argentina | 10 | 67 | 19 | 5 | 15 | 66 | 16 | 2 |
Bolivia | 24 | 48 | 18 | 10 | 38 | 35 | 16 | 11 |
Brazil | 16 | 60 | 16 | 8 | 22 | 62 | 11 | 5 |
Chile | 5 | 53 | 35 | 6 | 23 | 38 | 27 | 13 |
Colombia | 13 | 72 | 11 | 4 | 25 | 59 | 10 | 5 |
Costa Rica | 22 | 57 | 18 | 3 | 20 | 61 | 16 | 3 |
Dominican Republic | 18 | 68 | 10 | 4 | 30 | 58 | 8 | 4 |
Ecuador | 23 | 55 | 17 | 5 | 35 | 40 | 17 | 8 |
El Salvador | 46 | 38 | 11 | 4 | 48 | 39 | 8 | 5 |
Guatemala | 52 | 35 | 9 | 4 | 50 | 35 | 9 | 5 |
Honduras | 46 | 43 | 10 | 2 | 47 | 42 | 8 | 3 |
Mexico | 28 | 49 | 17 | 5 | 36 | 46 | 14 | 5 |
Nicaragua | 24 | 62 | 11 | 3 | 30 | 55 | 11 | 4 |
Panama | 39 | 49 | 9 | 3 | 44 | 45 | 9 | 1 |
Paraguay | 28 | 59 | 9 | 5 | 39 | 50 | 4 | 7 |
Peru | 23 | 46 | 24 | 7 | 39 | 39 | 16 | 6 |
Puerto Rico | 17 | 49 | 27 | 6 | 16 | 51 | 27 | 7 |
Uruguay | 6 | 67 | 24 | 3 | 7 | 73 | 18 | 2 |
Venezuela | 8 | 78 | 10 | 4 | 20 | 66 | 6 | 7 |
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
Country | % Morally wrong | % Morally acceptable | % Not a moral issue | % Unsure | % Morally wrong | % Morally acceptable | % Not a moral issue | % Unsure |
Argentina | 16 | 52 | 23 | 9 | 27 | 38 | 22 | 12 |
Bolivia | 47 | 26 | 18 | 9 | 58 | 18 | 14 | 9 |
Brazil | 17 | 54 | 18 | 11 | 39 | 39 | 9 | 14 |
Chile | 10 | 49 | 32 | 9 | 26 | 32 | 26 | 16 |
Colombia | 30 | 46 | 14 | 9 | 49 | 27 | 13 | 11 |
Costa Rica | 34 | 37 | 22 | 6 | 38 | 36 | 18 | 8 |
Dominican Republic | 27 | 53 | 15 | 6 | 45 | 40 | 10 | 4 |
Ecuador | 37 | 37 | 18 | 8 | 64 | 17 | 13 | 7 |
El Salvador | 51 | 30 | 10 | 8 | 61 | 23 | 9 | 7 |
Guatemala | 69 | 17 | 8 | 7 | 74 | 17 | 4 | 5 |
Honduras | 59 | 32 | 7 | 2 | 61 | 29 | 7 | 3 |
Mexico | 32 | 45 | 16 | 7 | 49 | 31 | 7 | 13 |
Nicaragua | 38 | 43 | 13 | 6 | 53 | 31 | 10 | 6 |
Panama | 51 | 36 | 6 | 7 | 70 | 21 | 4 | 5 |
Paraguay | 27 | 51 | 8 | 14 | 51 | 32 | 8 | 9 |
Peru | 39 | 29 | 21 | 10 | 67 | 16 | 10 | 8 |
Puerto Rico | 22 | 40 | 25 | 13 | 23 | 37 | 26 | 14 |
Uruguay | 12 | 54 | 29 | 5 | 26 | 48 | 20 | 6 |
Venezuela | 22 | 59 | 11 | 8 | 52 | 31 | 7 | 11 |
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
Country | % Morally wrong | % Morally acceptable | % Not a moral issue | % Unsure | % Morally wrong | % Morally acceptable | % Not a moral issue | % Unsure |
Argentina | 45 | 27 | 20 | 9 | 65 | 13 | 13 | 10 |
Bolivia | 71 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 83 | 3 | 6 | 8 |
Brazil | 57 | 16 | 20 | 8 | 83 | 7 | 7 | 3 |
Chile | 37 | 18 | 29 | 16 | 70 | 9 | 13 | 8 |
Colombia | 65 | 18 | 9 | 8 | 85 | 8 | 5 | 2 |
Costa Rica | 66 | 14 | 15 | 6 | 83 | 6 | 9 | 2 |
Dominican Republic | 79 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 94 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Ecuador | 77 | 5 | 11 | 7 | 91 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
El Salvador | 86 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 91 | 4 | 5 | * |
Guatemala | 89 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 93 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
Honduras | 83 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 94 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
Mexico | 55 | 21 | 17 | 7 | 77 | 12 | 8 | 4 |
Nicaragua | 78 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 92 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
Panama | 81 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 90 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
Paraguay | 82 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 88 | 7 | 3 | 2 |
Peru | 71 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 85 | 6 | 3 | 6 |
Puerto Rico | 56 | 11 | 22 | 11 | 76 | 5 | 13 | 6 |
Uruguay | 34 | 33 | 23 | 10 | 63 | 19 | 13 | 5 |
Venezuela | 65 | 17 | 11 | 7 | 89 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
Country | % Morally wrong | % Morally acceptable | % Not a moral issue | % Unsure | % Morally wrong | % Morally acceptable | % Not a moral issue | % Unsure |
Argentina | 69 | 8 | 13 | 10 | 87 | 2 | 6 | 5 |
Bolivia | 85 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 94 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Brazil | 85 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 95 | * | 3 | 2 |
Chile | 57 | 7 | 20 | 15 | 84 | 5 | 5 | 7 |
Colombia | 84 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 92 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
Costa Rica | 80 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 91 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
Dominican Republic | 93 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 96 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Ecuador | 80 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 94 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
El Salvador | 94 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 94 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
Guatemala | 96 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 97 | 1 | 1 | * |
Honduras | 92 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 95 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Mexico | 71 | 8 | 14 | 7 | 83 | 7 | 3 | 7 |
Nicaragua | 93 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 96 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Panama | 93 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 91 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
Paraguay | 96 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 95 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
Peru | 90 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 90 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
Puerto Rico | 86 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 90 | 1 | 6 | 2 |
Uruguay | 51 | 14 | 20 | 15 | 78 | 7 | 9 | 6 |
Venezuela | 88 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 96 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
Country | % Morally wrong | % Morally acceptable | % Not a moral issue | % Unsure | % Morally wrong | % Morally acceptable | % Not a moral issue | % Unsure |
Argentina | 22 | 49 | 22 | 7 | 40 | 39 | 16 | 4 |
Bolivia | 56 | 18 | 15 | 11 | 74 | 12 | 8 | 7 |
Brazil | 44 | 29 | 20 | 6 | 76 | 14 | 6 | 4 |
Chile | 18 | 34 | 37 | 12 | 51 | 21 | 18 | 10 |
Colombia | 40 | 38 | 14 | 9 | 74 | 15 | 8 | 4 |
Costa Rica | 47 | 29 | 19 | 5 | 69 | 21 | 8 | 2 |
Dominican Republic | 49 | 35 | 13 | 3 | 75 | 16 | 6 | 3 |
Ecuador | 60 | 14 | 19 | 8 | 81 | 6 | 11 | 3 |
El Salvador | 73 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 80 | 13 | 5 | 2 |
Guatemala | 80 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 83 | 9 | 3 | 5 |
Honduras | 57 | 31 | 9 | 4 | 74 | 18 | 7 | 2 |
Mexico | 45 | 29 | 18 | 8 | 74 | 10 | 12 | 5 |
Nicaragua | 53 | 31 | 11 | 6 | 75 | 14 | 7 | 4 |
Panama | 49 | 38 | 10 | 3 | 79 | 18 | 1 | 1 |
Paraguay | 47 | 41 | 6 | 6 | 60 | 25 | 10 | 5 |
Peru | 52 | 20 | 18 | 9 | 79 | 8 | 6 | 7 |
Puerto Rico | 41 | 17 | 30 | 12 | 60 | 13 | 19 | 8 |
Uruguay | 17 | 51 | 26 | 6 | 45 | 35 | 17 | 4 |
Venezuela | 36 | 39 | 19 | 5 | 77 | 13 | 7 | 3 |
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
Catholics | Protestants | |||||||
Country | % Morally wrong | % Morally acceptable | % Not a moral issue | % Unsure | % Morally wrong | % Morally acceptable | % Not a moral issue | % Unsure |
Argentina | 73 | 4 | 16 | 7 | 85 | 1 | 13 | 1 |
Bolivia | 91 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 94 | * | 5 | 1 |
Brazil | 89 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 97 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Chile | 67 | 4 | 19 | 10 | 78 | 2 | 14 | 7 |
Colombia | 94 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 97 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Costa Rica | 94 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 95 | 2 | 3 | * |
Dominican Republic | 98 | 1 | 1 | * | 98 | * | 2 | 1 |
Ecuador | 88 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 96 | * | 3 | 1 |
El Salvador | 96 | 2 | 2 | * | 96 | 1 | 3 | * |
Guatemala | 98 | * | 1 | 1 | 99 | * | 1 | * |
Honduras | 96 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 97 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Mexico | 78 | 4 | 13 | 6 | 80 | 4 | 9 | 7 |
Nicaragua | 98 | * | 1 | 1 | 98 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Panama | 92 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 93 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Paraguay | 98 | * | 2 | * | 96 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Peru | 86 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 88 | 1 | 8 | 3 |
Puerto Rico | 88 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 91 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
Uruguay | 67 | 5 | 21 | 8 | 80 | 2 | 11 | 7 |
Venezuela | 91 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 97 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Source: Pew Research Center survey of 18 Latin American countries and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, based on more than 30,000 face-to-face interviews, conducted between October 2013 and February 2014, in Spanish, Portuguese and Guarani.