“We live in a democracy” is a categorical imperative which
is frequently called into question in Latin America today.
This system of
governance, widely adopted around the world from the Second World War onwards,
and above all after the Cold War, continues to be disputed and lacks
consolidation in the region.
The notion of a democratic state in many regards is
continuously under construction. To celebrate the International Day of
Democracy, declared by the UN as the 15th of September and that is
dedicated to “democracy in times of tension: solutions for a changing world”
this year, we reflect on the state of democratic values and the need for their
regeneration.
Latin America, among
the regions most affected by democratic decline
The increase in corruption, impunity against organised
crime, the rise in authoritarian tendencies and low political participation are
some of the factors that situate Latin America among other regions that have recently
experienced democratic decline.
The tension between State grabbing by
authoritarian, military and oligarchic forces and democratisation that departs
from widening political plurality and participation, including social
movements, is a battle that is more relevant than ever.
The clearest examples of democratic decline are Venezuela
and Nicaragua, that became non-democratic regimes in which significant
violations of human rights occurred and in which freedom of expression and
political participation became severely repressed.
In other countries such as
Brazil, the tension between authoritarian and democratic forces is a conflict
yet to be resolved.
Only Uruguay is considered as a full democracy by the 2017 Democracy Index of the Economist, alongside countries such as Norway, Canada and Australia.
Only Uruguay is considered as a full democracy by the 2017
Democracy Index of the Economist, alongside countries such as Norway, Canada
and Australia.
Strong institutions, transparency, and citizen participation are
some of the indicators that are considered within this category.
These cases
contrast with imperfect democracies such as Chile, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia,
together with the nations of Central America below these countries.
The category “hybrid regimes” includes Guatemala alongside Honduras and Bolivia. Only Cuba and Venezuela are categorised as authoritarian regimes,
which is the most numerous list of the index and includes mostly countries in
the MENA region, Asia and Africa.
Scepticism regarding democracy continues to grow
The Latinobarómetro, an index that measures among other
things perceptions of democracy in the region, shows how democratic decline
grew in 2017 with “low levels of support and satisfaction, as well as a
sentiment that governments govern for the few” rather than for all.
The report uses multiple indicators that also confirm the decrease
in a political culture based on the democratic principles of representation,
accountability and configuration of political parties.
A re-politicisation
based on the regeneration of democracy and an inclusive dialogue that can
overcome polarisation is needed to combat this negative perception of politics
in Latin America today.
The International Study of Civic and Citizen Education
(ICCS) reveals a worrying level of antidemocratic values and antisocial
orientations among mostly young people surveyed in Colombia that would support
dictatorships if they brought order and security to the country.
Other surveys
show a growing lack of confidence in a system that is perceived as imperfect
and worn out, given its difficulties in tackling corruption and reducing the
enormous levels of inequality or violence which have contributed to such large
levels of dissatisfaction.
The reduction in political participation and the
increase in voter abstention or blank voting leads to a rise in conservative
forces that are powerful minorities in the region.
The guarantees for
exercising democratic rights are few
With the violation of fundamental values such as freedom of
expression in many countries of the region, full democracy seems like an
impossible feat.
Murders of social leaders and journalists, political persecution, a low guarantee of political opposition and the right to protest are some of the factors of a list that limits the capacity of the region to envision a better form of governance.
Murders of social leaders and journalists, political
persecution, a low guarantee of political opposition and the right to protest
are some of the factors of a list that limits the capacity of the region to
envision a better form of governance, better quality public debate, and
transfers of powers with real levels of popular participation.
On days such as the International Day of Democracy, we
should rethink what factors are driving this global tendency of democratic
decline that is thriving in the shadows of the power structures of Latin
America.
In spite of the difficulties faced however, democracy in
Latin America is still alive. We must search for a way to invigorate it and
make it more inclusive to attract more young people and others who feel
marginalised from the political system by creating innovative measures that
bring values and principles of democracy together with citizenship.
It involves
reinforcing the compliance of fundamental democratic principles, contained in
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which celebrates its 70th
anniversary this year.
In a cycle of restoration of conservative neoliberalism in
the region, in which democracy is only capable of perpetuating asymmetric power
relations, the limitations of such a system are evident.
We must urgently work
to regenerate democracy, by amplifying and integrating popular participation in
the public sphere.
The debate regarding advancing human rights and the
reduction of inequalities must be recovered, in order to reactivate hopes that
democracy as a system is capable of delivering freedom, social justice and
happiness.