How does an institution with spiritual authority across national borders conduct foreign policy? This article traces the Vatican’s relations with Latin America from the independence movements of the early nineteenth century to the opening years of Pope Francis’s papacy.
Stephen Andes examines diplomacy as a relationship among three participants: Rome, national governments, and local Catholic churches. Papal representatives negotiated with states while also guiding religious institutions, often navigating conflicting priorities. The account follows the papacy’s initial defense of Spanish monarchy, its accommodation with independent republics, and its efforts to protect Catholic influence through diplomatic agreements and organized lay activism.
The twentieth century brought revolutionary anticlericalism, authoritarian alliances, Cold War anticommunism, and debates over liberation theology. The Second Vatican Council’s acceptance of religious freedom helped reshape the Church’s approach to political authority. Concluding with Francis’s emphasis on poverty, justice, and gradual diplomatic engagement, including improved relations between Cuba and the United States, the article shows how religious commitments and political negotiation continually shaped one another.
Stephen J. C. Andes · Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Latin American History, July 2016.
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