Elections in Latin America in 2018: Four Cases Previewed

[Judi Lynn]

By: Nino Pagliccia
Published 19 January 2018

"I say this... because I take it for granted that the US government will continue to interfere in the internal affairs of Latin America unless unity becomes a reality, writes

In 2018, 12 Latin American countries from Mexico to Peru will hold elections at different levels: presidential, legislative and municipal. Of the 12 elections, seven are for their respective presidents in Costa Rica, Cuba, Paraguay, Colombia, México, Brazil, and Venezuela. What are the expectations? I will focus on four of those elections: Mexico and Colombia, because they might represent more typical or traditional electoral processes in Latin America and also because they have certain relevance in the region; and Venezuela and Cuba, because they operate on distinct social premises, and they represent unique processes based on special circumstances, like Venezuela, or based on independently developed social model like Cuba.

Mexico

Geopolitical analyst Andrew Korybko wrote a year ago in The Duran, “Donald Trump is inspiring a new generation of Mexican nationalists.” This may well explain the reported lead of left-leaning nationalist Andrés Manuel López Obrador (nicknamed AMLO) at the polls. He had been an unsuccessful challenger in previous presidential elections and is now running as a candidate for the coalition Movimiento de Regeneración Nacional (MORENA – Movement of National Regeneration).

His next contender may be rightwing Ricardo Anaya, candidate for an odd coalition of the conservative Partido Accion Nacional (PAN – National Action Party) – that formed government twice with Vicente Fox (2000) and Felipe Calderon (2006) – and the leftist Partido de la Revolución Democrática (PRD – Party of the Democratic Revolution).

More:
https://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/Elections-in-Latin-America-in-2018-Four-Cases-Previewed-20180119-0014.html