South America Archive

LIMA, Peru—If there was ever a moment when this Andean nation could have used the soothing influence of a wise and binding decision from its Constitutional Court, it was this month, with regard to the legality of the shock ouster of President Martin Vizcarra. The popular, corruption-busting leader’s abrupt removal on Nov. 9 by a scandal-wracked Congress that most Peruvians regard with contempt convulsed the country. The subsequent wave of vibrant and largely peaceful national protests were unlike anything seen here since the fall of the authoritarian regime of Alberto Fujimori two decades ago. One poll taken a few days […]

SANTIAGO, Chile—It is no exaggeration to suggest that Chile’s constitutional referendum last month was its most important vote since the country transitioned to democracy in 1989. Voters faced two decisions: first, whether a new constitution should be written, and second, if the answer on the first question is affirmative, who should write it. An entirely new body could be elected for that purpose, or a mixed convention could be held, in which half the delegates would be current members of parliament. Ahead of the Oct. 25 referendum, polls showed that a majority of Chileans wanted a new constitution, but nobody […]

Luis Arce Catacora was sworn in as Bolivia’s new president last weekend, two weeks after he and his vice president, David Choquehanca Cespedes, won decisively in long-delayed general elections. Their victory marked a return to power for the Movement for Socialism—the political party of former President Evo Morales, known as the MAS—and an end to a year of unrest and political turmoil that followed Morales’ ouster in the wake of disputed elections. Lawmakers—almost all of them wearing face masks—packed into the National Assembly building to hear Arce’s inaugural address, in which he promised to govern for all Bolivians. “We want […]

Peruvian legislators stunned the country Monday night when they unexpectedly voted to remove President Martin Vizcarra from office, using a questionable interpretation of the constitution. The move not only underscores Peru’s chronic political instability, it also exemplifies the ferocious pushback faced by political figures who try to untie the knots of corruption that keep many countries, not only in Latin America, from dealing effectively with their problems. Vizcarra lost power because he sought to craft fundamental reforms to Peru’s political and judicial system, which posed a threat to the establishment. Legislators in the unicameral Congress voted overwhelming to declare Vizcarra […]

MEDELLIN, Colombia—As 21-year-old Jarvis Sanchez fled Venezuela—walking hours through dangerous informal border crossings, packing into hotel rooms with 20 other people and clinging to the backs of speeding trucks—he could barely even think about the global pandemic playing out around him. “There were things way scarier than COVID,” Sanchez said. “When you’re constantly under threat, when you’re on a truck driving at such fast speeds, and so many other things, you almost forget about it.” Sanchez is part of a new wave of migrants and refugees leaving Venezuela, as nearby countries gradually reopen their economies after months of COVID-19 lockdowns. […]

After nearly a decade of effort, Latin America is on the verge of realizing its first regional environmental treaty. The Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean, better known as the Escazu Agreement, has 24 signatories, 10 of which have ratified it—just one less than is needed for it to enter into force. Curiously though, Chile, one of the countries that spearheaded negotiations over the pact, is missing from the list of signatories, an omission that calls into question its mostly positive record on addressing climate change. Negotiations […]