Resumen de Democracy in Latin America? An assesment

Miguel Angel Lara Otaola

• This essay will make an evaluation about political liberalism in the electoral democracies of Latin America. For doing so it will take into account three different indicators: a) the rule of law, b) horizontal accountability, encompassing: i) separation of powers/checks and balances, and ii) corruption, and; c) the respect for civil rights (specifically freedom of expression). This will be done through different examples that show that Latin American democracies are far from consolidated (e.g. that don�t fulfil the previous three criteria) and that a �second transition� is needed in order for them to become liberal, constitutional democracies.