South America’s leftist governments losing grip on power after years of dominance

Andre F. Radzischewski, washingtontimes.com

image from

Excerpt:

A wave of discontent has suddenly put the leftist governments that have dominated South America’s political landscape for more than a decade on the defensive, struggling to retain their grip on power in the face of scandals, shifting economic winds and voter fatigue. ...

Many of the hemisphere’s long-unchallenged leftist governments are now feeling the heat because of a combination of factors, most notably their struggling economies, falling global commodity prices and rejuvenated center-right alternatives, said researcher Facundo Cruz, who teaches political science at the University of Buenos Aires. ...

Venezuela “is still stuck in what perhaps was more widespread in Latin America 20 years ago,” said Christine Balling, a senior fellow for Latin American affairs at the American Foreign Policy Council. “It’s a much more closed society. It’s not a functioning democracy.” ... 

[T]he likely departure of some of South America’s most populist leaders could open the doors to better relations with Washington, Mr. Cruz said, no matter who wins the U.S. elections next year. Whoever succeeds President Obama in the White House come 2017 should make use of such “low-hanging fruit in public diplomacy,” Ms. Balling added. ...