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 Judicial independence Civilian control over military

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

(A) Electoral Democracy at Risk?

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

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

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

(B) Concentration of Power

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

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

Judicial Independence Threatened in Bolivia –Constitutional tribunal closed, then stacked –Appointments to supreme court

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

Colombia - Uribe 1991 constitution Judicial independence Re-election threat

(C) Citizens’ Democracies Under Construction

Participation Referenda Recall Initiative by citizens Community councils Participatory budgeting

Venezuela Community Councils 26,000 Presidential commission Mayors and governors

Bolivia –MAS as instrument –Agrarian reform –Municipal government –Juridical pluralism

Ecuador New constitution Recall, citizen initiative Participatory budgeting New civil society organs –Undermining parties?

Perú Participation in Law Ley (Ley de referendos) –In practice, neglected Eg Bagua

Chile –No participation –Despite Bachelet’s efforts

(D) Constituent Power –Creating hegemony? –Overcoming exclusion?

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

Bolivia –Social movement pressure –Congress not closed –No super majority –Negotiation –Hybrid outcome

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

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