Some Reflections on the Relationship between Politicians and Politics in Latin America after Twenty Five Years of Democracy. Jean Monnet/Robert Schuman Paper Series Vol.8 No.1, January 2008

Almost three decades after democratic transition numerous political reforms have appeared. No country in the region, with the obvious exception of Cuba, has been left out of this wave of political transformations. Profound constitutional reforms, decentralization processes, and changes in the relationships between the branches of government, in electoral laws and in rules regarding political participation are just some of the transformations experienced by Latin American polities. As of 2007, the agenda of political reforms is patently open in Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela, and also important in Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Peru

Las cumbres iberoamericanas en perspectiva española

The present work is about the last “Cumbre Iberoamericana” that took place in Salamanca and was held in the frame of precedent similar meetings. The following pages develop the outlook of different Spanish governments and show the main changes made in the whole system, they are especially focused in the establishment of an Iberoamerican General Secretary. The powerful and everlasting ideological content of this kind of summits is enhanced in order to show how these summits are interpreted by the different political parties in accordance with their political programs. The public declarations of Prime Ministers and Foreign Affairs Ministers that are been produced from 1991 until today show this path

El populismo en América Latina, especificidades y modelos

La conferencia realiza una aproximación histórica a la evolución del populismo en América Latina, plantea los elementos que lo definen como ideología y como tipo de régimen político. Se presentan diferentes modelos en su desarrollo. Finalmente se analizan casos europeos, con especial énfasis en el caso español de Podemos en contraposición con las experiencias latinoamericanas.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Un esquema de análisis para el estudio de los partidos políticos en procesos de transición : fundación frente a tradición

Se presenta, en primer lugar, un modelo para analizar el papel de los partidos en las transiciones, diseñándose el alcance del concepto de "vigor partidista" en un entramado en el que también ocupan un eje explicativo el nivel de movilización y el tipo de institucionalización. Posteriormente, este modelo es aplicado al caso centroamericano presentándose un esquema partidista dual, conformado por el peso de la fundación, que tiene plena vigencia en El Salvador, Guatemala y Nicaragua, y de la tradición, adscrito a Costa Rica y Honduras.The article discusses the party systems that are emerging in the Central American countries. Two main groups of countries are described: In Costa Rica and Honduras the traditional party systems have changed little during the eighties, whereas in Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador the political parties that have appeared after the 1980s wars are remarkably different that those existing in the pre-revolutionary crisis. This situation is analyzed related to the role that political parties play in democratic transitions, and the traditional weakness of political parties in the newly democratized countries

Los retos actuales de la política en América Latina

This article explores Latin America´s current problems from the perspective of the state. First, it analyzes cross-national variation in the quality of democracy between the years 2006 and 2012; and it presents several factors that contribute to explaining these differences. Next, it pays greater attention to three very different aspects of democracy: the role of elections in the democratization process over the last three decades; the existing relationship among political leadership, political careers, and the professionalization of politicians; and, finally, public safety.El presente artículo describe y explora los problemas actuales que tiene América Latina desde la perspectiva de la política. En primer lugar se analiza la heterogénea calidad de la democracia de los países de la región y se considera la variación de la misma entre 2006 y 2012, presentando algunos elementos explicativos de las diferencias existentes. Después se presta mayor atención a tres aspectos de naturaleza muy diferente: el papel de las elecciones en los procesos de democratización vividos a lo largo de las últimas tres décadas; la relación existente entre el liderazgo, las carreras políticas y la propia profesionalización de la política; y, por último, la inseguridad ciudadana

The Success of the Left in Latin America. Untainted Parties, Market Reforms and Voting Behavior

The Success of the Left in Latin America. Untainted Parties, MarketReforms and Voting BehaviorRosario Queirolo. Notre Dame: The University of Notre Dame Press, 2013,205 pp.</p