América Latina a la mitad del primer decenio del siglo XXI. ¿hacia dónde es el viraje?

Abstract

In the media and even in academic circles, conventional wisdom repeats again and again that Latin American countries are in the process of turning to the political left. The article considers this statement a simplification. There are profound changes in society, inside political parties, Congress, and political institutions in general, which the traditional political system was not able to take in stride and adapt to. The emergence of ethnic, regional and class issues, the expression of constant discontent by the majority of the citizens in the countries of the region, that followed the Washington consensus with more or less accuracy, are better explanations for the emergence of new politic formulas in the region that led to the victory in the polls of outsiders, the «new caudillos», with the support of very informal political entities. Resulting political change in the current configuration of government and parliament are thus more a question of style, and form than of substance.