This article is published by Democracy Digest. Here is an excerpt:

The COVID pandemic has put tremendous strain on Latin American citizens and governments, testing the resilience of democracy. The good news coming from valuable new survey data is that the majority of citizens continue to support democracy. Nevertheless, many express dissatisfaction with its economic and social outcomes and particularly mistrust elections, notes Razvan Vlaicu, a senior research economist at the Inter-American Development Bank’s Research Department:

Trust in government institutions and the political process is key to economic growth and development in the region, according to the forthcoming IDB Development in the Americas flagship report. In the face of challenging circumstances, political leaders need to safeguard public trust by providing economic opportunities and upholding the rule of law. The survey has other interesting findings, covering areas like corruption, crime, and migration. These are discussed in detail in LAPOP’s Pulse of Democracy report.

Overall, the message seems to be clear: Citizens in Latin America and the Caribbean want economic stability, fair elections, and the protection of basic rights, Vlaicu concludes.

Read the full article here.