With the demise of military dictatorships in southern Latin America in the 1970s and the end of the civil wars that wracked Central America in the 1980s, the Andean countries emerged as the most unstable region in Latin America. This political instability, which has largely passed, was marked by street protests and the ousting of several presidents.
In recent years, Bolivia and Ecuador have both approved and are implementing new constitutions. In Peru, the country has followed a democratic path after the collapse of the Fujimori government (2000). And in Colombia, under the leadership of President Juan Manuel Santos—important advances are being made in terms of strengthening that country´s democratic institutions.
Some of these countries have poverty and inequality rates above the Latin American average. As a result, their citizens are skeptical about the ability of their governments — and democracy in general — to improve their lives. They are particularly disenchanted with political parties, which have lost credibility among voters, giving rise to new coalitions and local and regional political groups.
Political leaders and voters in the region are seeking alternatives. With a sub-regional office in Lima, Peru, and country programmes in La Paz, Bolivia; Quito, Ecuador, and Bogotá, Colombia, International IDEA sponsors activities focusing on electoral and party reform to strengthen democracy and training and technical assistance so that political leaders can more effectively respond to their constituents’ needs.
At the Andean level, IDEA has worked in partnership with The Carter Center during 2010-11 in the creation of the Andean-US Dialogue Forum. This initiative supports the vital role of civil society in overcoming simplified stereotypes and generating creative and sustainable solutions to shared problems. In 2011, the Forum published the report Toward a Common Agenda for the Andean Countries and the United States – Andean U.S. Dialogue Forum which identifies convergences and divergences in priorities among the countries and the peoples of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and the United States. It also highlights transnational issues such as energy, climate change, trade, illegal drugs and organized crime, recognizing that progress requires a collective response.
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