Gustavo Petro has reasons to be optimistic after his defeat. The left has a new presence in Colombian politics and could emerge stronger for the next elections.
On the day of the Colombian elections, Pedro Pizano reflects on how too often elections are hailed as a watershed moment. But this presidential election really is. Really.
A new report reveals that, on average, illicit finance for a governor’s election is ten times higher than legal funding. Most of that money goes to buying votes and comes at a cost of political favoritism, sometimes to criminal groups.
From refusals to recognize the Venezuelan elections and new sanctions from democracies around the world, to shows of support from like-minded regimes, the international community has started to react to Maduro’s consolidation of power.
While elite fractionalization between President Santos and former President Uribe played a tangible role in the outcome of the 2016 plebiscite and has continued to influence Colombian electoral politics, it also provides a window of opportunity for Fajardo’s centrist candidacy.
With the opposition divided and lacking a coherent strategy, Maduro will likely remain in power for now despite his lack of legitimacy. But it doesn’t mean he’ll have an easy time of it.
We spoke to David Smolansky, one of the Global Americans 2018 New Generation of Public Intellectuals, about life in exile and his proposals for restoring democracy in Venezuela.
Despite the pleas of the U.S. and the Lima Group, it’s unlikely that the Maduro government will postpone the May 20th elections. But there are several steps that can be taken afterward to help Venezuela heal.
The candidate Brazilians choose as their new president will face challenges on multiple fronts: inequality, corruption, violence and economic stagnation. The field is wide open, but the risk that Jair Bolsonaro, a right-wing populist in the mold of Donald Trump, will win remains high.
During his speech at the Organization of American States on Monday, Vice President Mike Pence called on member states to follow in the United States’ lead and take concrete action against Venezuela.
