Arizona Tribune - Christian Persecution Expands In Latin America, The Voice of the Martyrs Reports in 2026 Global Prayer Guide

BARTLESVILLE, OK / ACCESS Newswire / January 8, 2026 / Christian persecution is no longer confined to traditionally high-risk regions of the world, as The Voice of the Martyrs doubled the number of Latin American countries by adding Honduras and Nicaragua to its newly released 2026 Global Prayer Guide. Venezuela and areas of Mexico were included in the 2025 edition.

"Latin America has long felt familiar and safe to many Americans," said VOM Vice President Todd Nettleton. "Sadly, Latin American believers are increasingly facing Christian persecution by corrupt governments, Marxist guerrilla groups and criminal gangs."

Nicaragua is now designated as a restricted nation in VOM's free prayer resource.

Social and political unrest increased in 2018 as a result of the authoritarian rule of President Daniel Ortega and his political party, which espouses Marxist ideology. The government initially targeted the Catholic Church, but beginning in 2023, it expanded its restrictions to all religious organizations, closing hundreds of churches and ministries. The Nicaraguan government has imposed burdensome legal requirements on religious organizations and uses laws relating to cybercrimes and financial crimes to harshly punish religious leaders and close churches and ministries.

Honduras was also added to the 2026 global prayer guide as a "monitored" country. Venezuela continues to be in that category, as it was in 2025.

The authoritarian Venezuelan government is hostile toward Christian outreach, and Marxist guerrillas operate freely along the country's border with Colombia. In Honduras, Christians in rural areas, especially any involved in evangelistic outreach, are often persecuted by family and community members steeped in Christo-paganism. Destruction of homes and livestock is the most common form of persecution. At least one evangelist has been killed recently for his faithful witness.

Since 1997, VOM has tracked and designated nations where Christians are persecuted as either "hostile," "restricted" or "monitored."

"Seeing countries in this historically Christian region of the world added to VOM's Global Prayer Guide is a sobering reminder that persecution is expanding," said Nettleton.

VOM's 2026 Global Prayer Guide provides in-depth information about the daily plight of persecuted Christians in more than 70 nations, including the types of persecution faced in a given country, how difficult it is to get Bibles, and other information.

The guide is organized so readers can explore countries alphabetically, by region or by classification, making it a practical tool for daily devotions, small groups and corporate prayer.

"VOM's Global Prayer Guide includes prayer requests from Gospel workers and partners facing harsh, daily realities in those countries. This free resource equips Christians everywhere to stand with their persecuted brothers and sisters in a meaningful, informed way," said Nettleton.

A digital version of the VOM 2026 Global Prayer Guide is available for free at www.persecution.com/globalprayerguide. A full-color, 106-page printed version is available for any donation to VOM.

Founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, The Voice of the Martyrs is a nonprofit, interdenominational missions organization serving persecuted Christians in the world's most difficult and dangerous places to follow Christ. For more information, visit VOM.org

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE: The Voice of the Martyrs

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

A.Anderson--AT