How Machado Can Steer Venezuela Toward Democracy
Whether the capture of Nicolás Maduro leads to democracy depends on Donald Trump — and María Corina Machado’s ability to make a democratic future the only attractive choice.
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How to Bring Would-Be Autocrats to Justice
When a democratically elected president acts undemocratically, how do you hold him accountable? It isn’t easy. Most leaders — even those who attempt to hold power through coups — evade justice.
Why the United States Shouldn’t Run Venezuela
Nicolás Maduro has been removed, but the dictatorship he led remains. If this period of American tutelage drags too long, it will be a recipe for disaster for Venezuela and the United States.
January Issue Out Now!
The new issue of the Journal of Democracy is here! Read about Gen-Z uprisings; lessons from Brazil on holding would-be autocrats accountable; how direct-democracy initiatives such as referendums are being undermined by AI; the steps Ukraine must take to remain democratic; and more.
How Bangladeshi Students Brought Down a Tyrant
Last week, a Bangladeshi court convicted deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to death. Hasina, now exiled in India, was ousted by a student uprising in August 2024 after unleashing a vicious crackdown on protesters, killing more than a thousand.
Why Gulf Monarchs Are Being Courted
Gulf monarchies are exerting influence all over the world — in sports, media, entertainment, and politics. Where their human-rights records once drew censure, these oil-rich kingdoms are now being courted and their leaders welcomed in Western halls of power. How have these countries remained bastions of repression while white-washing their reputations? The following Journal of Democracy essays…
New JoD Podcasts!
The Journal of Democracy has partnered with the Review of Democracy podcast and the Democratic Dialogues podcast to share in-depth conversations with JoD authors on their latest essays. Listen, read, and learn!
Election Chaos in Honduras
On Sunday, Hondurans voted for their next president and vice-president, members of Congress, and municipal mayors. But the country’s vote-tally system failed.
How to Restore Venezuela’s Democracy
“As U.S. military assets accumulate in the Caribbean and diplomatic pressure on the Nicolás Maduro regime intensifies,” writes José Ramón Morales-Arilla in a new Journal of Democracy online exclusive, “two starkly different visions of Venezuela’s future dominate policy discussions.”
Syria After Assad—One Year On
On 8 December 2024, a coalition of Islamic militants toppled the brutal Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, whose family had ruled the country for more than half a century.
Why Tanzania Will Never Be the Same
Tanzania’s Independence Day was Tuesday, barely a month since the shocking and brutal crackdown on thousands of protesters decrying the country’s sham election.
Tanzania Will Never Be the Same
Tanzania’s October election was a sham. When people rose up in protest, the regime responded with a brutal crackdown. That reign of terror marks a turning point for the country, and there is no going back.
Why Honduras Is Facing Election Chaos
Days after the election and no one knows who the next president will be. Even worse, none of the likely winners offer much hope for the country’s democracy.
How Venezuela Actually Becomes a Democracy
The South American country may be on the verge of real change. But it isn’t going to descend into civil-war chaos like Libya. It will be difficult, imperfect, and far better than what Venezuelans have had to endure.
Why the War on Crime Threatens Democracy
Last month Rio’s police conducted the deadliest police operation in Brazil’s history, killing 117 people. It is one episode in a long history of state violence. Not only are such iron-fisted methods ineffective, they pose a danger for democracy itself.
Why Democracy Needs to Go Digital
Faith in democracy is fading, as citizens increasingly find self-rule slow, tired, and opaque. It’s time for democratic institutions to lean into the tech revolution. Digital governance isn’t a gadget; it’s democracy’s lifeline.
Autocrats’ Favorite Trick? Stolen Elections
Autocrats around the world have been innovating new ways to steal elections, manipulating rules and revising laws to keep themselves in power for as long as possible.
Will Maduro’s Autocratic Allies Desert Him?
Nicolás Maduro’s regime has long relied on support from China, Cuba, Russia, and other authoritarians to stay afloat. But now that the United States is stepping up the pressure, will his fellow autocrats leave him high and dry?
Why Democracy Survives Populism, the Dangers of AI, Sharp Power in the Gulf, and More
Why are would-be strongmen so unlikely to succeed in undoing democracy? What steps can we take to protect democracies from advanced AI? Should we be worried about the Gulf states’ growing influence?
Cameroon’s Election Casts a Long Shadow
Cameroonians just reelected the 92-year-old Paul Biya in an election that voters rightly view with suspicion. The tensions under the surface don’t bode well for the country or its people.