América Latinamalestar democrático y retos de la crisis de la globalización

Abstract

Latin America is experiencing a period of widespread “unrest in democracy”, which translates into high levels of democratic disaffection, distrust of institutions, contestation of traditional elites and their forms of government, and rising expectations regarding public policies, transparency and accountability. This dissatisfaction is expressed through actors, agendas and national processes, but it is synchronized with a global trend that feeds the rise of nationalist and illiberal leaders and forces. The problems of democracy in the region are not limited, therefore, to countries where there are authoritarian governments. But after addressing the trends that affect the region as a whole, this chapter analyzes three cases in which this setback has been more serious in the previous years: Venezuela, Nicaragua and Guatemala.