Latin American Democracies

Democracy Democracy is government by the people. The US has an indirect democracy. Participation by the nation’s citizens is essential for a democracy to work.

Conditions that Foster Those Practices Common Practices Conditions that Foster Those Practices Free Elections Having more than one political party Universal suffrage – all adult citizens can vote Citizen Participation High levels of education and literacy Economic security Freedoms of speech, press, and assembly Majority Rule, Minority Rights All citizens equal before the law Shared national identity Protection of such individual rights as freedom of religion Representatives elected by citizens to carry out their will Constitutional Government Clear body of traditions and laws on which government is based Widespread education about how government works National acceptance of majority decisions Shared belief that no one is above the law

Democracy Three Factors that advance democracy Rights and equal treatment of individual Law helps keep leaders from abusing power Sense of national identity

Dictators to Democracy Europe and the US dominated Latin American economy and politics Brazil had a monarchy when they gained independence A republic government then dictatorship followed

Dictators to Democracy Kubitschek put Brazil into a lot of debt because he wanted to make Brazil progress too fast Brazil’s military dictators looked to the Amazon jungle for economic growth Since the 1980s Brazil’s leaders have been chosen by direct election

Mexico Mexico has a constitution which prevents direct military involvement in politics – very different from rest of Latin America. The National Revolutionary Party has dominated politics in Mexico. Fraud and corruption keeps opposing political parties from competing in Mexico.

Mexico The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) removed trade barriers between the US, Mexico, and Canada.

Argentina By the late 1990s Argentina was the only Latin American country not under democratic rule. In 1946 Juan Peron won the presidency then established a dictatorship. The military ruled Argentina following Peron.

Argentina Several thousand Argentines disappeared in the 1980s – kidnapped by their government. The military government finally stepped down in 1982 after a humiliating defeat by the British.