Some Latin American countries, major ones for that matter, are experiencing significant challenges to democratic reforms, especially ahead of key polls. From Democracy Digest:

An assassination attempt in Argentina and spurts of election-linked violence in Brazil have emerged as the latest signs of growing political discontent in Latin America, creating a treacherous environment for incumbents of all stripes, Reuters reports:

Latin America’s political arena has intensified with fallout from the pandemic, war in Ukraine, spiraling inflation plus fears of global recession. Those hardships have all hit voters’ wallets in one of the world’s most unequal regions, driving deeper political wedges ahead of key elections and in some countries threatening democracy itself.

The resilience of democratic institutions will also be tested in Brazil’s upcoming election, where former left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is the favorite against far-right incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro, experts – including the National Endowment for Democracy’s Latin America Director Miriam Kornblith – told the Atlantic Council (above).

Read the full article here.