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the period when R\u00EDos Montt was President in 1982 (Rose& Schultze 1992: 438). Evangelists identified with the North American conservative Evangelicalism such Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell supported his government and promoted the programme of help for the country called \u2018International Love Lift\u2019 (Grenfell 1995: 60). Bill Bright the President of Campus Crusade for Christ International raised funds among the churches in the United States to give economic support to the government of R\u00EDos Montt to help to reconstruct Guatemala which had been devastated by the armed conflict with the guerrilla.65 Some analysts point out that this help had as its objective stopping the influence of the guerrilla groups which at that moment were opposed to the government and its economic policies. According to Stoll projects like FUNDAPI who aimed to help refugees, supported R\u00EDos Montt\u2019s government and created opportunities for evangelism (1990:192).\u000AThe indirect influence which Evangelical politicians received came to them from he ideals of \u2018reconstructionism\u2019 (the application of the Old Testament laws on how to govern a nation) via evangelists, missionaries and North American consultants in political material. Guatemalan congressmen received workshops on democracy and legislative matters, above all during the presidency of R\u00EDos Montt as President (1982-3) and when he was the president of the Congress of the Republic (1999-2003).\u000AFreston (2001) analyzes in detail the development of the ideas of Guatemalan Evangelical politicians, especially the governments of R\u00EDos Montt and Serrano El\u00EDas. He underlines that Francisco Bianchi a member of the elite Guatemalan families and member of the ICV church follows closely the religious right-wing of the United States and he openly identify himself with the values of market economy (in Freston 2004a:132-134). The book La Liberaci\u00F3n del Planeta Tierra (1987) of Gary North is reference book for Neo-Pentecostal politicians. It has to do with the application of the Old Testament laws to some moral behaviour and how to rule a nation.\u000A65 Copy of the letter sent by Bill Bright to churches in the USA, Campus Crusade for Christ International Arrowhead Spring, San Bernardino, California 92414, USA, April 21, 1983.\u000A  113\u000A


































































































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