Articles and opinion columns by Latin American analysts who take an unwavering stand for freedom, including members and directors of the IID.
Long gone are the days when transparency, talent and truth paved the way to success. The resulting reality is polarization beyond reason; the reward of social climbing and the reign of confusion, fear and mistrust. Definitely not the best environment for one of the most integral persons in this world.
Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, Iran has been a state sponsor of terrorism. Iran has sought to expand the Islamic revolution and its influence. It cooperates with the Taliban, an extreme Islamist group in Afghanistan, and is also expected to interfere in the recent conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Although shown to the world as an extraordinary triumph of 21st Century Socialism, the results of the 18 October 2020 elections in Bolivia are Castrochavism’s most important electoral fraud that, after merely one-year of having perpetrated a similar electoral crime that led up to the resignation of Evo Morales, has enabled it to repeat and improve its “vote-catching dictatorship” system in which “the citizens vote but do not elect”. Holding elections without the essential components of democracy has produced systematic and factual fraud in Bolivia that most everyone pretends to ignore but that will be repeated in Venezuela, Ecuador, and Nicaragua.
MAS leadership indicated that they ignored at was stage the investigation was. Further, Mr Morales is in Argentina and has flown to Caracas not to La Paz. This clearly indicates he is facing headwinds in his country and inside his party.
The elections conducted this 18th of October are elections held under a dictatorship and without any of democracy’s essential components, to wit; there is no “rule of law” because a counterfeited constitution and laws govern, there is usurpation of functions, and violence was used to supplant the Constitution and the Republic of Bolivia. There is no separation and independence in any of the branches of government because the legislative, judicial and a great part of the executive are in control of the dictatorial regime. There is no unhindered political organization because political persecution and exile continue to be meted-out by the dictatorship’s judges and prosecutors while, at the same time, they grant impunity to the fugitive dictator, there is no respect for human rights and individual basic rights because there is neither rule of law, nor independence of the branches of government.
Most (but not all) studies of voter motivation conclude that voters behave similarly to Jen Henderson, and do not vote based on their narrow self-interests. Social scientists call this altruism, “sociotropic” voting. Sociotropic voters vote on the perceived interests of society as a whole rather that on their own self-interest.
As the opposition was unable to come up with a single candidate , Mr Arce’s victory is almost assured. Should this be the outcome , the road ahead seems to be rather bumpy. As the next president of Bolivia will need to undertake adjustments to steer the economy out of recession in the aftermath of Covid19 and the accelerated passing of the fossil fuel era.
Elections conducted in a democracy must be “free, fair, and based on universal suffrage concepts of secrecy as an expression of the people’s sovereignty”. These features must concur and coexist with the other “essential components of democracy” contained in the Interamerican Democratic Charter, namely; “the respect for human rights and individual basic freedoms, have access to become the government and discharge its duties subject to the rule of law, have a plurality of political parties and organizations, and have the separation and independence of the branches of government”.
As Covid 19 turns around to launch its second wave of deadly spread, the world economic powers begin to warm their engines to enter the post pandemic season. This entails the restructuring of the global value chain to accommodate nationalistic and geopolitical considerations as well as to minimize economic risks going forward.
Venezuelan people are victims of daily violence and intimidation, they live in permanent distress because in the Castrochavist system there isn’t any guarantees or rights. It is about the instilling of fear to oppress, but there are needs that outweigh fear. So, now there is a confrontation of the need to survive against the fear instilled by the brutal force and indignity of repression. Hunger is gaining over fear.
