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The Quality of Democracy in Latin America

The Quality of Democracy in Latin America. Maxwell A. Cameron Poli 332 March 1, 2010. Dimensions. Electoral Constitutional Citizenship. Electoral. Right to vote and run for office Clean elections Free elections Elected officials . Constitutional. Checks and balances

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The Quality of Democracy in Latin America

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  1. The Quality of Democracy in Latin America Maxwell A. Cameron Poli 332 March 1, 2010

  2. Dimensions • Electoral • Constitutional • Citizenship

  3. Electoral • Right to vote and run for office • Clean elections • Free elections • Elected officials

  4. Constitutional • Checks and balances • Judicial independence • Civilian control over military

  5. Citizen Participation • Three generations of rights • Active participation • Constitutional change by democratic means

  6. (A) Electoral Democracy at Risk?

  7. Popular leaders, dirty elections • Hugo Chávez & Alvaro Uribe • Irregularities in elections

  8. Venezuela: “Lista Russian” • Comptroller general bans candidates • Violation of the right to run for office

  9. Colombia: La Parapolitica • 81 investigations, 32 sentences • Violence in election process • Paras, narcos, guerrillas

  10. (B) Concentration of Power

  11. Venezuela - Chávez • No checks and balances. • No judicial independence • Uncertainty over alternation

  12. Bolivia Morales Checks and balances Yes, congress • CA process • Now has majority No • Weak party system • Emergence of single party

  13. Judicial Independence Threatened in Bolivia • Constitutional tribunal closed, then stacked • Appointments to supreme court

  14. Ecuador - Correa • Conflict among branches of power • Disputes involve the election authority and constitutional tribunal

  15. Colombia - Uribe • 1991 constitution • Judicial independence • Re-election threat

  16. (C) Citizens’ Democracies Under Construction

  17. Participation • Referenda • Recall • Initiative by citizens • Community councils • Participatory budgeting

  18. Venezuela Community Councils • 26,000 • Presidential commission • Mayors and governors

  19. Bolivia • MAS as instrument • Agrarian reform • Municipal government • Juridical pluralism

  20. Ecuador New constitution • Recall, citizen initiative • Participatory budgeting • New civil society organs • Undermining parties?

  21. Perú Participation in Law Ley 26300 (Ley de referendos) • In practice, neglected • Eg Bagua

  22. Chile • No participation • Despite Bachelet’s efforts

  23. (D) Constituent Power • Creating hegemony? • Overcoming exclusion?

  24. Venezuela • Chávez’s role • Congress closed • Outcome • Constituent power as permenent process • Re-election • Consejos Comunales

  25. Bolivia • Social movement pressure • Congress not closed • No super majority • Negotiation • Hybrid outcome

  26. Ecuador • Presidential protagonism • Congress displaced • Participatory but not deliberative • 70,000 participants • Acosta’s resignation • Limited advances for indigenous

  27. Summary and Conclusions • Rankings not useful • Election irregularties serious • Constitutional problems pervasive • Participation where representation weak • Against two regoins • Colombia and Venezuela alike • Perú & Chile not participatory • Bolivia & Venezuela different in CA process

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