Four years ago the… Chileans They elected a bearded, tattooed former student protest leader as president Promise of social justice. Last Sunday, voters in Latin America’s once model economy replaced him with a conservative in a suit who promised to toughen the fight against crime and deport illegal immigrants.
The victor’s promises, José Antonio KastBuilding a barrier on Chile’s northern border and deporting illegal migrants was well received anxious voters in a country where the murder rate has doubled since 2015.
Chile’s dramatic turn toward Kast, a populist who in the past had praised the general’s dictatorship Augusto Pinochet is the most recent example of this Rising crime and violence are pushing Latino voters toward right-wing leaders the promise a firm hand against lawbreakers.
Latin America and the Caribbean, long the deadliest region in the world, has become even more dangerous in the last decade as organized crime gangs have expanded their tentacles into traditionally peaceful countries such as the United States chili And Uruguay.
The cartels have diversified beyond borders Cocaine and fentanyl trafficking into new lucrative areas, such as illegal gold mining, migrant smuggling and extortion. They are also increasingly penetrating the legal economy. As a result, Latin Americans are more worried today Crime and security According to recent surveys, they are more affected by traditional concerns such as poverty or unemployment. This is difficult territory for the left, whose candidates have suffered electoral setbacks this year Ecuador, Bolivia And Hondurasin addition to Chile.
The region’s “blue tide” could transform Latin America’s political landscape. Brazil, Colombia And Peru will vote next year and the conservative victories in these countries would go Mexico as the only large country in the region where Voters still lean left. (Cuban and Venezuelan citizens have no choice).
A sustained wave of Victories of the right-wing populists would please US President Donald Trump, who has already made the decision Argentina And Honduras in favor of the conservatives.
Whether this will reduce crime rates is another question. The president’s much-noticed success Nayib Bukele in reducing the appalling murder rates of El Salvador comes at a high cost to civil liberties approximately 3% of the adult male incarcerated population. His example is not easy to imitate. The Central American country had a specific gang problem and was largely free of international drug cartels. The President of Ecuador, Daniel NoboaThe He promised to copy Bukele’s tactics but struggled to reduce murder rates. Democracy in the region has proven more resilient than many expected.
Crime experts have called on Latin American governments to do so Combating organized crime Improving information gathering, using better technology, international coordination and stopping illicit financial flows. Authoritarian populists, however, prefer to resort to flashy, social media-friendly formulas, such as spectacular, televised police raids and high-profile arrests of suspected cartel leaders.
You won’t have much time to experiment: Latin American voters are impatient for results and tend to overthrow incumbent rulers. The new Conservatives are just as likely as their left-wing predecessors to leave office if they fail to deliver.
And it won’t be easy, experts point out In many parts of Latin America, organized crime is increasingly penetrating politics at the local and regional levels.Buying or intimidating mayors, municipal councils and provincial governors. As so often, Criminals seem to be one step ahead of the authorities.
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