Unexplained high donations and expenses raise doubts about Universal Church of the Kingdom of God’s financial transparency in Argentina

The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (IURD), a Brazilian-based religious organization, has established a significant presence in Argentina since its arrival in 1999. The local branch, led by its founder Edir Macedo, operates 281 temples across the country, as stated on its official website. This territorial expansion has been accompanied by substantial financial resources, with the Church reporting large sums in donations and assets.

However, the exact number of followers remains unclear, as the IURD does not publicly disclose this information. Mariela Mosqueira, a sociologist and researcher at the National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), notes that the Church’s expansion in terms of parishioners has not been successful in Argentina. She explains that while the organization has temples in every province, most are largely empty, with only a few, such as the one in Buenos Aires’ Almagro neighborhood, attracting significant attendance.

Mosqueira was part of the team that conducted the Second National Survey on Religious Beliefs and Attitudes in 2019, funded by the state. According to the survey, 15.3% of Argentines identify as evangelical, but only 0.6% belong to the IURD. This figure contrasts sharply with the Church’s reported financial resources.

In 2019, the IURD declared a heritage of 6.6 billion Argentine pesos (approximately 113 million dollars) in Argentina, along with donations exceeding 2.2 billion pesos (about 38 million dollars). These figures were part of the Church’s latest report to the General Inspectorate of Justice (IGJ), submitted as part of a regional investigation into financial transparency in religious organizations.

The Church attributes much of its funding to anonymous donations made by its members during worship services. This explanation was provided in response to previous inquiries from the IGJ, which had raised concerns about the organization’s financial practices. The IURD Argentina submitted a letter on August 4, addressing these concerns and asserting that it has a large number of faithful across the country.

Source: Read the original report (translated from Spanish)