ZOOM LINK: https://asu.zoom.us/j/86922581807
Some countries in the Western Hemisphere have recently seen a deterioration in their democratic norms. Protests in Brazil, the U.S., and Peru have turned violent, as demonstrators have clashed with state security services and even led to the invasion and vandalization of Brazil’s Supreme Court and the U.S. Congress. Many of the protesters’ grievances have been fueled by underlying political, economic, and social issues, including stagnant or failing economies and governments that are unable to fulfill their citizen’s needs, aspirations or guarantee their rights.
The culture of liberal democracy in the Hemisphere is at risk. Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua remain dictatorships, while Colombia and Chile experiment with new democratic processes. These issues have been worsened by social media and information bubbles. Irregular migration is on the rise and inflation and recession threatens the region’s stability.
Please join the McCain Institute at Arizona State University for a conversation on the state of democracy in the Western Hemisphere. Former Colombian Ambassador to the United States Juan Carlos Pinzón will discuss regional current and future democratic trends, as well as how these front-line democracies can fend off foreign and domestic authoritarian attacks on their political systems. Ambassador Pinzón will also discuss the democratic backslide that many countries – including the U.S., Brazil, and Peru – have recently faced and what can be done. This conversation will be moderated by McCain Institute Executive Director Evelyn N. Farkas.