Democracy & Elections Archives - Page 72 of 84

Honduras’ Castro de Zelaya Could be the Country’s First Female, Openly Socialist President

Honduras will hold its presidential elections on November 24, and voters—for the first time in this Central American country’s history—might elect a female and openly socialist president, signaling the nation’s growing frustration with its male-dominated conservative leadership. Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, representing the Partido Libertad y Refundación (Liberty and Refoundation Party—LIBRE), was slated as the … Read more

Monday Memo: Argentine Midterms – UN Anti-Spying Measure – U.S. Immigration – Paraguay and Mercosur – FARC Releases Captive

Likely top stories this week: Argentine opposition gains influence in midterms; Brazil and Germany lead a UN anti-spying initiative; lobbyists push for U.S. immigration reform; Paraguay to represent Mercosur in negotiations with EU; hostage Kevin Scott Sutay is released by the FARC. Argentines Vote in Midterm Elections: With 72 percent of the votes counted in … Read more

Monday Memo: Protesters & Police Clash in Brazil – Train Crashes in Buenos Aires – Hurricane Raymond Nears Mexico – Bachelet Leads Polls in Chile – U.S. Surveillance in Mexico

Likely top stories this week: Protesters clash with Brazilian police forces in Rio de Janeiro; A commuter train crash injures 30 in Buenos Aires; Hurricane Raymond builds strength near Mexico’s Pacific coast; Michele Bachelet leads the polls in next month’s presidential elections in Chile; Newly leaked documents reveal that the U.S. spied on former Mexican … Read more

Is Brazil the New Regional Champion of Democracy?

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in September 2010, U.S. President Barack Obama appealed to rising democracies around the world to help spread the democratic message, declaring that “we need your voices to speak out,” and reminding them that “part of the price of our own freedom is standing up for the freedom of others.”1 … Read more

Missed Opportunity?

For the past five years, Argentina’s current government and the Clarín Group, the country’s principal media conglomerate, have been on a collision course. President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has denounced the group on national TV for having once been “partners” with the military dictatorship and accused its executives of plotting against her. Meanwhile, Clarín, the … Read more

Canadian Prime Minister Harper’s Second Wind

While thousands of federal workers in the U.S. went back to work today after grappling with the government shutdown and debt ceiling crisis, Canada’s Parliament has just now reopened for business, with Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s second Throne Speech since his party won a majority government mandate in May 2011. Coming at mid-term, the speech … Read more

Argentina’s 2013 Elections: Signs of Change or More of the Same?

With national legislative elections coming up on October 27, Argentina is abuzz with political activity. In addition to the high economic stakes—the country suffers from increasing inflation and faces the threat of a deep recession—many view this year’s elections as a harbinger of who will become Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s successor two years … Read more

Poll Projects Tight Presidential Race in Honduras

A new CID Gallup poll on the Honduran presidential election in November released on Tuesday shows Xiomara Castro—the wife of former President Manuel Zelaya—has a slight lead. The poll estimates that Castro, representing the leftist Partido Libertad y Refundacion (Liberty and Refoundation Party—LIBRE) would receive 29 percent of votes, followed closely by conservative candidate Juan … Read more

El Partido de la Red araña la democracia en Argentina

¿Cómo se teje la democracia en red? Construyendo un puente entre el clic y el voto. Así de simple y ambiciosa es la propuesta de un grupo de jóvenes argentinos expertos en tecnología, que busca alcanzar una curul en la legislatura de Buenos Aires en las elecciones del próximo 27 de octubre, para representar la … Read more

Venezuela y la Corte Interamericana: ¿Un adiós, o un largo hasta luego?

El quinto piso del edificio de la Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA) alberga la biblioteca Rómulo Gallegos, designada de esta manera para hacer un homenaje al primer presidente de la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH). Este es un significativo reconocimiento del rol que asumió Venezuela en el sistema hemisférico de derechos humanos, incluso décadas antes … Read more

Chile Marks 40 Years Since Coup

Forty years since right-wing military generals swept socialist President Salvador Allende from office, Chile remains as divided as the day the bombs fell on La Moneda, the Chilean presidential palace. In 2013, amid renewed social movements, the first presidential election since the coming in of the first right-leaning administration following the country’s return to democracy, … Read more

Monday Memo: Venezuelan Corruption – Chile’s Election – Humala’s Popularity Drop – FARC Negotiations – Oil Drilling in Ecuador

Likely top stories this week: Venezuelan opposition agrees to participate in corruption debate; Chilean presidential candidate Evelyn Matthei registers her candidacy; Humala’s popularity reaches a new low; peace talks resume in Colombia; and environmental groups seek a referendum to prevent drilling in Ecuador’s Yasuní National Forest. Public Debate on Corruption in Venezuela On Saturday, Venezuelan … Read more

Chile’s Student Leaders Compete in Parliamentary Elections

Chile’s political establishment may be welcoming a new class in November when the country holds presidential and parliamentary elections. Former President Michelle Bachelet is expected to easily win the presidency, but some former leaders from Chile’s student movement are looking to shake up the national Congress. As they compete for seats in the Chamber of … Read more