Here’s a fact that few people are taking into account when talking about the Venezuelan crisis or Latin America in general: the region’s biggest countries will have elections over the next 12 months, which could change the hemisphere’s political map.
Between now and October 2018, there will be presidential elections in Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Brazil, while Argentina will have key congressional elections next month that could decide that country’s political future.
And many of these elections will take place amid a climate of disenchantment with democracy, and growing anger at traditional politicians for their inability to curb corruption and fight crime.
A poll presented in Miami this week by the Latin American Public Opinion Project of Vanderbilt University shows there are reasons to be worried. The poll, Americas Barometer 2016/2017, says support for democracy in the region has fallen from 66.4 percent two years ago to 57.8 percent today.