Beginning in 1959, after Fidel Castro began the Cuban Revolution, the Holy See became increasingly aware of the number of Protestant missionaries traveling to Latin America.
The Charismatic Catholics bounced back with a large number of foreign missionaries, an increase in Guatemalan priests, and other lay revitalization within the Church as a whole.
Although the Catholic Church is the only religion recognized by the Guatemalan Constitution, any other religious affiliation can file a copy of its bylaws and a list of its initial membership to the Ministry of Government in order to receive recognition.
[3] Representatives from Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, and Mayan spirituality meets every two-three months out of the year at the Interreligious Dialogue at the Foro Guatemala to discuss several select topics such as social and political issues.
Also, beginning in the 1960s, Catholic bishops and priests have joined to work with indigenous Mayan people to create a basis of local leadership, improve health and education, and also organize cooperatives.
It was now called the Guerrilla Army of the Poor, and began an insurgency campaign against the government: the Guatemalan military adopted scorched earth tactics and started killing hundreds of thousands of indigenous Mayan peasants in the western highlands.