Author(s): Laura Gamboa
Source: Comparative Politics , July 2017, Vol. 49, No. 4 (July 2017), pp. 457-477
Published by: Comparative Politics, Ph.D. Programs in Political Science, City University
of New York
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26330983

Opposition at the Margins:
Strategies against the Erosion of Democracy in Colombia and Venezuela

The erosion of democracy has become increasingly common. Faced with economic an security crises, democratically elected presidents in Latin America,’ Eastern Europe and Africa have used their popularity to introduce constitutional amendments tha destroy the system of checks and balances, hinder free and fair elections, and disman political rights and civil liberties. In Venezuela, Hugo Chavez eroded democracy. Usi institutional reforms, he slowly turned a democracy into a competitive authoritari regime. In Colombia, Alvaro Uribe tried to do the same, but failed. Despite his efforts undermine the independence of courts and congress, and the fairness of elections, Colombia’s constitutional order remained fairly strong. Why, despite similar circum stances, do some presidents successfully erode democracy, while others fail?

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