Argentina amended their Constitution in 1994. The amended Constitution no longer requires that the president of
Argentina be a member of the Catholic Church. Furthermore, Article 14o guarantees the right of all residents to
freely profess their faith. The Constitution also specifies that aliens enjoy the same civil rights as citizens
including the right to exercise their faith. According to the 1999 US Department of State Report on International
Religious Freedom and the 1999 US State Department report on Human Rights, the government respects this right in
practice.
The Constitution states in Article 2o that the government of Argentina sustains the Roman Catholic Apostolic faith.
The Catholic Church receives an annual subsidy of $15 million dollars, which is administered through the Secretariat
of Worship in the Office of the President. The Secretariat handles government relations with all religious organizations.
In order to hold public services and to be tax-exempt, religious communities must register with the Secretariat
and file a periodical report to maintain their status. The National Registry maintained by the Secretariat includes
approximately 2800 organizations representing about 30 churches and most of the world's major faiths. Registered
organizations may apply to the Secretariat if they wish to bring missionaries into the country. Upon approval,
the Secretariat notifies the immigration authorities that issue the proper documents. The Secretariat also sponsors
interfaith conferences at which representatives of various churches meet to discuss current issues.
In the wake of a number of anti-Semitic incidents, the national government has sought to promote a more tolerant
attitude and to arrest and prosecute those responsible for acts of terrorism and vandalism against Jewish businesses
and institutions. In 1995, the national legislature passed a law declaring Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur as holidays.
For a more detailed discussion of anti-Semitism and xenophobia in Argentina please see The Institute for Jewish
Policy Research 1998 report on Argentina.
2003 U.S. State Department International Religious Freedom Report on Argentina
Search Amazon.com for books on religious freedom in Argentina