Corruption and an unpopular president have paved the way for a crowded field of mostly unknown presidential hopefuls. After the country’s Constitutional Court ruled against two top contenders, the election shifted from a relatively safe bet to an uncertain race.
Panama’s presidential election quickly shifted from a safe bet to a close race. Nito Cortizo will hold the office for the next five years, but because of the narrow results his presidency is off to a weak start.
The corruption-plagued Varela (2014-2019) presidency will likely result in the election of Laurentino Cortizo and the return of the Revolutionary Democratic Party to the Palacio de las Garzas.
Salvadorans voted for a populist maverick as their next president. But low voter turnout and a lack of friends in Congress promise to weaken the mandate of the president-elect.
Nayib Bukele, a former FMLN member now running as a third-party candidate, is expected to win the first round on February 3rd. The question now is whether or not he will amass sufficient support to avoid a runoff on March 10th.
Widespread discontent with corruption-plagued traditional parties might result in a historical win for Nayib Bukele, a former FMLN member who is now running on a third-party platform.
Five months into his second presidency, Sebastián Piñera has seen his popularity drop. Unrealistic expectations over economic growth and a series of controversial statements from his cabinet members explain why.
In a surprise vote marked by high turnout and polarization surrounding same-sex marriage, Carlos Alvarado defeated Fabricio Alvarado. But Fabricio may not have been the biggest loser in the landslide election.
PPK’s resignation will lead to more political polarization and chaos in Peru, but it is only one symptom of a far larger corruption crisis facing the Andean country and the region at large.
Colombia’s congressional election and inter-party primaries point to the return of uribismo to the presidency. Meanwhile, despite international attention, the FARC’s electoral debut was a bust.