Protestants in Latin America are often described as ‘Evangelicals’, a term used as a catch-all for non-Catholic Christians, though sometimes having a narrower reference to mean only those Protestants who identify with the worldwide Evangelical movement. Latin America's Protestants can be classified according to five distinct types.

Immigration Protestants appeared from the seventeenth century with the Dutch colony in Pernambuco, Brazil, and the English Protestants in the Caribbean. By the nineteenth century, varied European migration had brought Protestants to the Southern Cone and other Latin American countries. This first presence of Protestantism was limited to the religious practice of foreigners who had migrated to the continent for different reasons. Their purpose was not to establish churches for the participation of local Latin Americans, but rather to preserve for themselves the religious worship that they had brought from their countries of origin.

Liberal or ‘historical’ Protestantism includes churches such as the Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran and Baptist. These churches took the form of ‘denominations’ in the USA and brought an evangelistic emphasis when they established their presence in Latin America during the nineteenth century. Their witness was also marked by an intention to change or influence society by promoting the principles of political liberalism.

Mission or ‘evangelical’ Protestants promoted evangelisation above social responsibility. This type of Protestantism was represented by, for example, the Latin American Mission, Inter-American Mission, Pan American Mission, Gospel Missionary Union, and Christian and Missionary Alliance. Its message was characterised by preaching the salvation of the soul and a focus on the individual.

Pentecostal Protestantism includes such churches as the Assemblies of God, Church of the Foursquare Gospel, World Missionary Movement and United Pentecostal Church. Their original inspiration often arose from a missionary who was impacted by a spiritual experience, and they often attracted Indigenous leaders who had grown up in one of the historic churches. They place a strong emphasis on spiritual gifts, particularly speaking in tongues, and on health and exorcism. They have had strong popular appeal.

Neo-Pentecostals emerged in the 1980s, and their churches are sometimes described as ‘Charismatic’ or ‘Independent’. Prominent examples include the International Charismatic Mission; the World Revival Center, born in Colombia; the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, from Brazil; the Guatemalan Christian Fraternity Church (Mega Frater) in Guatemala; and the Elim Christian Mission in El Salvador.