The Decline of Democracy in Latin America: Diagnosis and Explanatory Factors

The article introduces Latin America to the debate about the decline of democracy. Based on data from Latinobarometro and Varieties of Democracy (V-DEM), it becomes clear that democracy is in decline in the region, since indicators such as support and satisfaction with the regime, confidence in institutions, and the Index of Liberal Democracy have reached or returned to their worst levels ever. Another finding is that the ambivalent and authoritarian political profile of the Latin American population is made up of young people, with a low level of education, distrustful of institutions, and dissatisfied with democracy. It is also evident that the longevity and quality of democracy influences relationships at the individual level, strengthening the aversion to authoritarian choices. These results are in line with recent findings on the decline of democracy worldwide.