Two of the basic conditions for a healthy democracy are at risk with the perception that governments are not really run by the will of the people and the lack of transparency and fairness in elections.

Most countries that have faced autocratization processes have become autocracies despite intermediate democratic episodes. Therein lies the paramount importance of the government reaching consensus and remaining close to the people.

Populist authoritarian leaders seek to undermine the control mechanisms that limit their ability to accumulate power. Whether in presidential or parliamentary systems, their behavior resembles more that of absolute monarchs than that of democratically elected leaders.

The current economic stagnation in the region has become the turning point for a development model that reached its peak after the end of the boom.

Ricardo Martinelli led all polls for years. But after being disqualified by a sentence of more than 10 years in prison for money laundering, he was relieved by José Raúl Mulino, who is emerging as the probable winner.

Migration has become a central part of the campaign discourse across the political spectrum. In this scenario, narratives that stigmatize migrants and refugees and promote xenophobic actions, are increasingly frequent.