The constitution gives individuals the right to choose, change, and freely practice their religion, and prohibits religious discrimination. It specifically recognizes the right of indigenous communities to express their religion freely. The constitution states that relations between the state and the Catholic Church shall be based on “independence, cooperation, and autonomy.” The government requires all religious groups to register with the Vice Ministry of Worship (VMW). Some religious groups expressed concern that the government disproportionately supported Catholic schools and did not pay many of the teachers in registered, non‑Catholic religious schools.
Labor unions and human rights organizations reported discrimination by Mennonite employers, often the predominant source of employment in the remote areas of the Chaco region, who reportedly continued to favor indigenous laborers who had converted to the Mennonite faith over those who had not. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) stated indigenous laborers were not able to file labor discrimination complaints based on religious affiliation because there were few government offices in the Chaco region.
U.S. embassy representatives met with the vice minister of culture at the VMW to discuss alleged employment discrimination based on religious preference and state support to the Catholic Church. Embassy officials also met with religious groups to discuss interfaith respect and dialogue. The Ambassador met with representatives of the Muslim community, and embassy officers met with representatives of the Catholic, evangelical, Jewish, Muslim, and Bahai communities to hear their views on religious freedom.