A Move Away From Extremes in Argentina, Colombia, Guatemala Elections

A Move Away From Extremes in Argentina, Colombia, Guatemala Elections
Supporters cheer top opposition presidential candidate Mauricio Macri in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Oct. 25, 2015 (AP photo by Jorge Saenz).

Latin America is reaching a quiet but remarkable turning point, one that, though occurring without much fanfare, has significant historical resonance. This past weekend, voters in several Latin American countries participated in national and local elections, and the process unfolded for the most part peacefully. That in itself is an achievement. But what is most noteworthy is that the outcomes of the elections were decided by the actual votes cast, and by extension the voters, rather than by fraud or violence. That, of course, is how democracy is supposed to work, but it is not always the case.

When viewed from regions where democratic traditions have grown deep, strong roots, this hardly merits mentioning. But in Latin America, where the soil has proved unhappily fertile for dictatorships, coups and personality-driven populism, where Marxist revolutionary conflicts have outlasted the Cold War, and where opposition leaders are still imprisoned on trumped-up charges, the largely peaceful festival of democracy that just took place is a rather notable feat.

And it’s more than that. It is a warning to the many remaining demagogues in the region that the public is growing tired of the manipulations of the democratic process that entrenched political leaders and their parties have come to rely on to stay in power.

Keep reading for free!

Get instant access to the rest of this article by submitting your email address below. You'll also get access to three articles of your choice each month and our free newsletter:

Or, Subscribe now to get full access.

Already a subscriber? Log in here .

What you’ll get with an All-Access subscription to World Politics Review:

A WPR subscription is like no other resource — it’s like having a personal curator and expert analyst of global affairs news. Subscribe now, and you’ll get:

  • Immediate and instant access to the full searchable library of tens of thousands of articles.
  • Daily articles with original analysis, written by leading topic experts, delivered to you every weekday.
  • Regular in-depth articles with deep dives into important issues and countries.
  • The Daily Review email, with our take on the day’s most important news, the latest WPR analysis, what’s on our radar, and more.
  • The Weekly Review email, with quick summaries of the week’s most important coverage, and what’s to come.
  • Completely ad-free reading.

And all of this is available to you when you subscribe today.

More World Politics Review