The Mopan originally settled near modern Pueblo Viaja, but Guatemalan officials claimed that they were still within bounds of Guatemala, so they moved further east around 1889 and founded San Antonio in Belize.

The prominent factor that has caused the decline of these traditional practices is the influence of Protestant evangelical missionaries.

[5] There is an absence of written traditions of the Mopan Maya people, so the preservation of their culture relies on oral transmission.

[6] The Cacao tree has played a significant role in the religious life of the Mopan Maya people.

In this religion, the Mopan Maya people consume Cacao beverages at religious celebrations.

However, since the 1970s, numerous Mopan villagers have left the Maya Catholic faith and joined Protestant groups.