May 20, 2021
Commentary
Oliver Stuenkel
Chilean citizens are making a risky but courageous attempt to write a new constitution. If the country succeeds, it could become an inspiration for the entire region—and reduce the appeal of anti-democratic forces.
After this week’s election in Chile, the country’s freshly minted constituent assembly will soon begin to redraft the country’s dictatorship-era constitution. Though Chile shares many governance challenges of its Latin American peers and its approach is not risk-free, the country could chart a new path toward addressing citizens’ demands and dealing with anti-establishment sentiments constructively in ways other Latin American countries can emulate.
AN ALTERNATIVE TONIC TO DISCONTENT
This matters greatly because few of the problems that led to mass protests in many Latin American countries in 2019 have been solved. In fact, the coronavirus pandemic has aggravated most of them. Consider the current situation in Colombia. A tax increase has lit the fuse and sparked mass protests fueled by long-standing grievances ranging from inequality, poor public services, unemployment, police violence, and the perception that political elites are (at best)…
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