Brazilians learned they have a gay governor; LGBTQ acceptance is expanding in some countries; and Chile adopted full marriage equality.
Xiomara Castro de Zelaya is slated to be Honduras’ next president. While the election results represent a significant step forward for democratic governance, the political culture of democracy in Honduras remains fragile.
On Sunday, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, won reelection following a year of political prosecutions, bans on opposition parties, and laws to curtail the independent press.
This November, voters in five countries across Latin America head to the polls. In Chile, Argentina, and Honduras, the electorate will have an opportunity to choose from an array of candidates from different ideological backgrounds. In Nicaragua and Venezuela, free and fair elections are far from guaranteed.
On Tuesday at the UN Climate Change Summit (COP26), Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, and Costa Rica inaugurated a new environmental protection zone spanning the maritime territories of each country.
To be clear, November 7 is a complete farce. Rather than anything resembling a democratic election, the events of that day will approximate a coronation ceremony.
The failures in exporting American democracy call for the reframing of democracy promotion as a strategy. If the Biden administration develops a combined regional strategy, it could represent a renewed opportunity.
Bukele has responded to critics with derision, even changing his Twitter bio to “Dictator of El Salvador.” He leaves just enough doubt to say, “I was only joking.” But it’s not a joke.
International opposition has had little effect so far on repression in Nicaragua. To understand why, it’s important to recognize Ortega and Murillo’s motivations.
Hopes for a peaceful, diplomatic outcome may seem slender. But confidence that tougher sanctions will do the job on their own may be even more misplaced.
