The international drug trade has ravaged Latin America. Drug cartels and organized crime groups have grown powerful enough in some countries to infiltrate and even challenge the power of the state. As demand for drugs and profits soars, violence, death, and displacement rain down upon communities, leaving democracy and the economy in shambles. To crack down on crime, governments across the region have adopted “iron fist” policies that suspend civil liberties and constitutional safeguards. But the policies often backfire, and democracy is what suffers.
The Journal of Democracy essays below analyze how drug wars have devastated democracy across Latin America, and offer new ideas for how to move forward. Read for free now.
How Drug Wars Destroy Democracy
Colombia’s drug war has ravaged the country — leaving tens of thousands dead, disappeared, or displaced and entire communities broken. Democracy is among the casualties.
Juan Masullo and Abbey SteeleHow Organized Crime Threatens Latin America
Drug cartels possess the power of militaries, the profits of corporations, and the coercive capacity of a state. They will not be eliminated any time soon. But the region’s democracies can seek to raise their costs, limit their influence, and curb the violence.
Javier Corrales and Will FreemanThe Bukele Model: Will It Spread?
The Salvadoran president’s “iron fist” policies have become one of the most popular political brands in Latin America. But the very reasons that explain his success in El Salvador point to why his repressive approach will not succeed elsewhere.
Manuel Meléndez-Sánchez and Alberto VergaraVenezuela’s Lost Year
A year ago Nicolás Maduro stole Venezuela’s election and entrenched his power by jailing and killing those who opposed him. But the world’s democracies don’t need to sit on the sidelines. Here is how they can raise the costs for Maduro.
Eric FarnsworthIs Central America Doomed?
Of course not. But the region’s democratic hopes are fighting an uphill battle against corruption, crime, and a violent past.
Mateo Jarquín, Rachel A. Schwartz, and Kai M. ThalerLatin America’s Shifting Politics: The Peace Process and Colombia’s Elections
Colombian voters turned against the architects of the peace accord ending the country’s decades-old internal war, while giving the presidency to a lieutenant of ex-president Uribe, the agreement’s leading opponent.
Laura GamboaThe Criminal Subversion of Mexican Democracy
In recent years, Mexico has stumbled into an encounter with collective violence, this time in the form of the “drug war.” Among its many harms is the damage it is doing to Mexican democracy.
Andreas SchedlerLatin America’s Growing Security Gap
Striking the right balance between freedom and security is hard, especially in Latin America. Hybrid forces combining military and police elements may be the best means for meeting security challenges without imperiling freedom.
David Pion-Berlin and Harold Trinkunas
Subscribe here to have curated collections like this one and other Journal of Democracy news delivered directly to your inbox.
Image credit: RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP via Getty Images