Kurt Weyland is the Mike Hogg Professor in Liberal Arts at the University of Texas–Austin. His books include Assault on Democracy: Communism, Fascism, and Authoritarianism During the Interwar Years (2021).
The conventional wisdom about Venezuela’s plight is largely mistaken. Only when Venezuelans recognize the real causes of their woes will they be able to make progress in overcoming them.
Democracy is enduring in Latin America, but it cannot be said to be prospering. Illiberalism and polarization are rising. Yet core democratic institutions remain firmly in place, and therein lies hope.
