South America’s New Wave of Leftist Leaders Is Struggling

South America’s New Wave of Leftist Leaders Is Struggling
A protester holds a poster of Peruvian President Pedro Castillo that reads, “A criminal doesn’t represent me. #CastillaOut,” Lima, Peru, Aug. 28, 2022 (AP photo by Martin Mejia).

It’s the best of times and the worst of times for South America’s left. Leftist candidates have been sweeping to power, winning election after election with promises of tackling the region’s chronic—and recently aggravated—poverty and inequality. The bad news is that, once in office, the new presidents have struggled badly. The phenomenon confirms the well-known maxim that it’s much easier to criticize than to govern.

In this case, both the ease of criticism and the challenge of governance have been magnified by the global crises that have afflicted the world in recent years and buffeted the region with enough force to recast its political dynamics. It’s been an energizing time to be in the opposition—and a brutal one to run a government.

If there’s any consolation for the left, it’s that some recently elected right-wing leaders have also struggled.

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