In wealthy democracies, the mantra “It’s the economy, stupid,” popularized by Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 presidential campaign, cemented the notion that nothing matters more to voters than the state of the economy and their personal finances. One might expect that maxim to hold in countries where voters endure stubborn poverty, making economic conditions a much more powerful determinant of their quality of life. But recent elections in Latin America belie the notion.
Colombian voters, who went to the polls on May 31, showed that a different dynamic is at play in the region. In countries where rising violence is an inescapable fact of life, candidates’ vows to improve security compete with and increasingly overtake promises to boost the economy.
Throughout the region, but particularly in Colombia, the specter of insecurity looms over political life.