Challenges to Democracy in the Andes: Strongmen, Broken Constitutions, and Regimes in Crisis

"This is the book to read to understand the prospects for democracy in the Andean region. The chapters are full of insights and offer rich and clear analyses that place the latest developments in context." ―Gerardo L. Munck, University of Southern California

"Offers a thought-provoking framework for understanding democratization in the Andean countries.... This is a must-read for scholars and students interested in democracy, constitutionalism, executive aggrandizement, and institutions in Latin America."― Julio Carrión, University of Delaware

Although military coups are rare in the Andean countries, democracies remain prone to deep political crises caused by elected leaders (especially strongmen, or caudillos) who abuse their power―often with broad public approval. What explains this phenomenon?

The authors of Challenges to Democracy in the Andes propose answers to this question. Offering an analytical framework that disaggregates the components of democratic regimes, along with case studies and comparisons from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, they describe and explain political changes within the gray zone between democracy and authoritarianism.

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