After the dismissal of the magistrates of the Constitutional Chamber and the Attorney General in El Salvador, the business sector affirms that these are "facts that consolidate an attack against democracy and threaten the liberties of Salvadorans".
In the elections held last February 28, Nuevas Ideas, a party led by president Nayib Bukele, achieved a resounding victory that allows it to have a qualified majority in the Legislative Assembly.
The choice of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States is another clear example of how the deterioration of liberal democracies enlightens the way for the emergence of authoritarian leaders.
EDITORIAL
(Both the article by Kevin Casas on Nacion.com as well as this editorial prologue on CentralAmericaData.com were written one day before the presidential election in the United States, when the prognosis was that Hillary Clinton had a more than 80% chance of win the election.)
Profiteering is defined as the conduct of individuals, social groups, professionals or entrepreneurs who achieve income above the value of the goods or services that are eventually produced.
EDITORIAL
An opinion article in Nacion.com accurately reviews the degradation of Costa Rica's political and economic work, and says"clientelism, corporatism, nepotism, cronyism, influence peddling, conflict of interest, crony capitalism"are the current characteristics of Costa Rican society.
Using its corporate power and taking advantage of the power vacuum that is afflicting the State, a public university in Costa Rica is paying first world salaries, exacerbating the inequality that exists between Costa Ricans and severely distorting the labor market.
EDITORIAL
The degeneration of democracy which is happening in a lot of Latin American countries has Costa Rica as an example, a country which historically used to be a shining example of the best way to live in society.
Ineptocracy: A government system where the least capable to govern are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the diminishing number of producers.
EDITORIAL
As the notion of "acquired rights" extends its current deformation which means "even if the world is falling apart the government must pay my salary at the end of each month", the transformation of democracies in ineptocracies is accelerating, especially in reference to democracies in Latin America, and in particularin those like Chile, Costa Rica and Uruguay, where some time ago a combination of enlightened leaders and the majority of industrious citizens created prosperous societies not only in economic terms but also in terms of civility and harmony in coexistence.
The ability of the executive and legislative powers to effectively lead their country's economy is seriously diminished by the excessive actions of the judicial branch, especially the Constitutional Courts.
EDITORIAL
It is happening in Central America but it is a growing problem throughout Latin America. The legitimate concern to guarantee that all citizens fully exercise their rights under the very welcomed liberal democracy, has created a culture of acceptance of virtually all proceedings filed in courts against executive actions taken by the government, and also against laws which have been formally approved.
The private companies should have to consider the risk posed to Costa Rica's business climate by the excesses of state union leaders.
EDITORIAL
Costa Rica's democratic traditions pale before the attempt made by a trade unionist to silence the media by threatening the safety of journalists.
An article in Crhoy.com quote statements made by the union member Fabio Chaves regarding the news in Costa Rican media revealing information about unacceptable privileges enjoyed by many officials, acquired against article 57 of the Constitution itself: "Wages will always be equal for equal work under identical conditions of efficiency."
An international symposium in the Dominican Republic highlighted "the risk of using democratic powers to execute "coups d'état".
International analysts and prominent politicians and government officials from Latin America, debated on new problems faced by democracies: "abuse of the time staying in power, and situation of the minorities".
This discussion took place in the International Forum "XXX Years of Democracy: Democracy, Growth with Social Equality and Cohesion in Latin America".
The transition process of the Salvadoran government is proving that alternation of power contributes to sound political practices.
Observable facts in the current transition process between the government of the outgoing ARENA party and the incoming FMLN party, are positive signs up until now and differ sharply from other transitions.
The editorial from Sunday, May 24 2009 in Laprensagrafica.com analyzed and welcomed this year's pragmatic politics, giving reasons for this: "There had never before been a transition from one government to another like the one that is taking place this time. There had never been an occasion with so much political and citizen expectation with regard to the make-up of the incoming head’s cabinet. Transparency in public accounts, also driven by the pressure of the fiscal crisis, rather than being a cause for friction, has served to encourage understanding between parties."
"We can overcome the challenges we share with a sense of unity ... or we can continue with the hackneyed debates of the past."
The president of United States wrote this column for Grupo de Diarios América, which includes some of the most important newspapers in the region.
In the lobby of the 5th Summit of the Americas, Obama sent a message of renewal in the form of relations with the rest of the American nations, emphasizing the need to stop looking to the past and start betting on the future.
Beyond appearances and the sense of belonging in Latin America, there are at least two Latin Americas when it comes to culture, politics and economy.
The establishment of democracy in the new Latin America is a vital metamorphosis that for a long time was not expected. Is its a historical refutation of those ideologists who condemn some nations to despotism in name of some not so well known cultural differentiation? It is also a refutation of those ultra-liberals in Latin America, wayward disciples of Milton Friedman who for a long time preferred the "illustrated despotism" of the generals in order to get to the market economy: Pinochetism is now presented as a local accident, not as a need.
An analysis of the Forum on the Future of Democracy in Central America organized by the Kellogg Institute from the University of Notre Dame.
Panelists included the ex-president of Honduras, Ricardo Maduro, Nicaraguan Ambassador to the US, Arturo Cruz, ex-presidential candidate in Costa Rica, Otton Solis. Luis Cosenza moderated the forum. He was Maduro's right hand man during his administration.