Author:
Lenin Cavalcanti Guerra
(MENAFN- The Conversation) The news that Bolivian President Evo Moralesis resigning amid an election fraud scandalhighlights an unfortunate reality about South America. Even though the continent has made big economic strides in recent years, it's often still plagued by political and civil unrest.
With more than 425 million people, South American countries are among the world's largest producers and exportersof beef and soy(Brazil),oil(Venezuela),coffee(Colombia),wine(Argentina and Chile),copper(Chile and Peru) andnatural gas(Bolivia).
But South America has also long been known for itspolitical instabilityand public policy tensions.
In the past century, several South American countries faced coups, military dictatorships and social uprisings. The last few months have shown that the turmoil is hardly a thing of the past.
Wave of demonstrations
In addition to Venezuela, wherepolitical and economic criseshave resulted in a humanitarian disaster known around the world, there has been recent turbulence elsewhere in South America.
Paraguay has been experiencing massive protests against President Mario Abdo. Paraguayans are angry aboutan agreement with Brazil on the Itaipu hydroelectric power plantthat's considered detrimental to the smaller country.
With the government at a 69 per cent disapproval rating, the opposition has started animpeachment process against Abdo and his vice-president that's close to completion . The impeachment comes just seven years afterformer president Fernand Lugo was himself impeachedin 2012 amid land disputes that resulted in 17 deaths.
In Peru, President Martin Vizcarrahas dissolved congressin an attempt to force new parliamentary elections. His actions have resulted inseveral demonstrationsaround the country, including one thatblocked access to a copper mine and caused production to cease .
Vizcarra was the vice-president until last year, afterformer president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigneddue to a possible connection to a bribery scandal involving Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. Another Peruvian president, Alan García,killed himself last Aprilwhen the police arrived at his home to arrest him for involvement in the same case.
Election results disputed
Bolivia has also been experiencing amassive wave of demonstrations . The oppositiondid not accept the results of recent elections , which gave the victory to Morales in the first round of voting for his fourth term.
Morales attends a news conference in La Paz, Bolivia, on Nov. 10, 2019. Morales is calling for new presidential elections and an overhaul of the electoral system.
(AP Photo/Juan Karita)
Leading the country since 2006, Morales accepteda ballot auditfrom the Organization of American States (OAS), which found the results of October's elections could not be validated because of 'serious irregularities.' He announced he was quitting for 'the good of the country.'
Since the election, roads were closed across the country and daily riots were routine. Santa Cruz, the richest province in Bolivia,is experiencing an ongoing general strike .
In Ecuador, President Lenin Moreno withdrew a subsidy on fuel, in place since the 1970s, due to an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).The price of fuel has since skyrocketed ,provoking massive proteststhat paralyzed parts of the country in October.
Anti-government demonstrators scale the facade of a residence to reach the rooftop in search of a better vantage point to battle with police in Quito, Ecuador, in October 2019.
(AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
Moreno has accusedhis predecessor, Rafael Correa, and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of being behind the demonstrations, which continuedeven after the return of the subsidy .
Chile, the South American country with thehighest human development indexand one of thehighest GDPs per capita in the region , is facing the biggest wave of public turmoil since the re-democratization of the nation in 1990.The triggerswere the increases in public transit fares and electricity bills at the beginning of October.
Education, old-age pensions
Issues relating toeducation , mostly private and expensive, and thepension regimeare fuelling a lot of the unrest in Chile, particularly among youth and the elderly. The protests have resulted in at least 20 deaths and thousands injured amid charges ofstate-sanctioned violence .
Fortunately, Brazil and Argentina, the largest countries in South America, are not currently dealing with similar turmoil even though both countries recently held elections that revealed deeply divided electorates.
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro smiles during an event in Brasilia, Brazil, in October 2019.
(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
In October 2018, Brazil elected right-wing former army captainJair Bolsonaro . The onetime congressman defeated the leftist candidate, resulting in the first defeat of the Workers Party since 1998.
Regardless of the defeat and the wear caused by several corruption scandals,Brazil's left-wing partiesstill have a large number of seats in parliament as well as state governors.
In Argentina, the recent election ofAlberto Fernandezhas brought back the leftist party of former president Cristina Kirchner, who became vice-president. Even in defeat, former leader Mauricio Macri received 41.7 per cent of the vote, showing that, just as in Brazil, the opposition against Fernandez is strong.
Possible consequences
The resurgent unrest in South America has some similarities from country to country.
Most started because of minor causes, like bus or subway fare increases, but pertain to broader public policy problems like corruption, access to education, health care or pensions.Economic issueshave played a significant role in the widespread dissatisfaction.
The strong economic indicators of years past in South Americahave weakened . Many countries are now facing low GDP increases and high unemployment.
Even Chile is experiencing a decline in its economic outlook. The country is often consideredthe first developed Latin American nation . It is a bit early to say if the recent events could change that status.
Read more:
Chile protests escalate as widespread dissatisfaction shakes foundations of country's economic success story
The unrest in South America isalready being comparedto the Arab Spring, the wave of pro-democracy demonstrations in North Africa and Middle East.
In 2010 and 2011 , the Arab Spring fuelled the fall of autocratic presidents in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, and generated civil war in Yemen.
Although there are similarities, South American countries are largely democratic, even if some of those democracies are fragile. The most recent South American elections have seen voters swinging between left- and right-wing parties.
The following weeks will determine the impact of these collective South American backlashes. Despite the amount of natural wealth in the region, instability in South America is commonly generated by economic crises, resulting in the type of massive civilian protests we're seeing now.
[ You're smart and curious about the world. So are The Conversation's authors and editors.You can read us daily by subscribing to our newsletter . ]
MENAFN1111201901990000ID1099258629