With elections coming up in 2022 in Brazil, Colombia and Costa Rica, which countries in Latin America and the Caribbean will be the political hot spots to watch next year? What political trends will be the strongest in the coming year, and what traits will countries’ political trajectories have in common? Is authoritarianism and polarization likely to worsen in the region in 2022, and what factors would influence that?
Peter Hakim, Katya Rimkunas, R. Evan Ellis, Lisa Haugaard
On October 20, 2021, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) honored four civil society organizations with their 2021 Democracy Award. Santiago Canton, director of the Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program at the Dialogue, took part in the first panel for the event, “Democracy and Governance in Central America: Defending Civic Space and Independent Media for Democratic Accountability.”
Santiago Canton
Event Summaries ˙
˙ National Endowment for Democracy
On September 30, 2021, the Inter-American Dialogue co-hosted the online event “A Conversation with Feliciano Reyna on Negotiations to Resolve the Crisis in Venezuela” in collaboration with the Institute for Policy Studies, the Washington Office on Latin America, and the Latin America Working Group.
On September 9, 2021, the Inter-American Dialogue hosted a virtual event “20 Years of the Democratic Charter in the Americas”. The panel discussed the current state of the Democratic Charter 20 years after its signature.
In an interview for El Faro, Santiago Canton, speaks about the situation of democracy in El Salvador and the recent ruling from the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Chamber authorizing consecutive presidential reelection.
During this event on May 18, 2021, the panel discussed the details of the Oversight Board’s unique model, the application of international human rights law to private entities, and the unanswered questions surrounding the Board’s influence on content moderation jurisprudence and legislation in Latin America.
On May 11, Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, participated in an event on Latin America’s 2021 and 2022 electoral calendar, which was organized by WorldDenver and moderated by Anna Alejo.
On January 27, 2021, the Inter-American Dialogue partnered with Luminate to host the webinar “Deplatforming Trump – Implications for Latin America.” The panel discussed regulation and moderation of online content and speech, its specific challenges in Latin America, and possible regulatory approaches that can ensure that digital environments uphold democratic norms and abide by international human rights standards.
In an interview BBC’s The Real Story, Margaret Myers considered prospects for US-China-Latin America relations in the coming years, taking into account global trends and the Biden administration’s likely take on China’s growing global role.
As President Michael Shifter said in a recent statement: “the tragedy that took place on January 6 is also a stark reminder of how important it is to have responsible leadership to protect the rule of law.” Dialogue Members were quick to condemn the events that unfolded in the US Capitol.
Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, spoke with Frederic Puglie of The Washington Times about the current situation in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The conversation also explored how the incoming Biden administration will deal with the leaders of these left-leaning countries.
Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, participated as a panelist on CGTN’s World Insight program. The discussion focused on the results of Venezuela’s National Assembly elections and their implications for the country’s political future. The conversation also explored potential negotiation scenarios between the opposition and Maduro government while analyzing the future of US foreign policy toward Venezuela in the incoming Biden administration.
On December 2, 2020 the Inter-American Dialogue partnered with Luminate to host the webinar “Democracy in a Post-Pandemic Latin America.” Panelists discussed the current state of democratic institutions in the region, the role of disinformation, as well as the findings of Luminate’s new public opinion research on shifting perceptions on democracy during the pandemic.
On November 13, the Inter-American Dialogue hosted the event “What Next for a Troubled Peru?” to discuss the impeachment of Peruvian president Martín Vizcarra. The event addressed Peru’s political crisis in the context of the economic and public health crises the country has already been facing.