Democracy in Latin America returned to the center of debate after warnings from lawyer and analyst José Eliseo Almánzar, who argued that the region is undergoing a phase of institutional weakening due to the prolonged use of exceptional measures and power concentration.
Democracy in Latin America under pressure
During his commentary on the program Politikal, Almánzar stated that democracy in Latin America faces a crisis that is not limited to a single country, but follows a repeated logic: governments that justify restrictions with the argument of security. In his analysis, that formula ends up reducing basic guarantees and normalizing power without checks.
The panelist cited as examples Bukele in El Salvador and Noboa in Ecuador, countries that have resorted to states of exception to confront violence, organized crime, or illegal mining. He also referred to Peru as part of that regional pattern, warning that extraordinary measures often open the door to abuses and a weakening of accountability.
Democracy in Latin America and the so‑called security dilemma
Almánzar rejected the idea that the population must choose between public order and fundamental rights. In his view, that framing creates a false dilemma that presents the renunciation of judicial guarantees for state protection as inevitable.
It is a very bad symptom that a false dilemma has been imposed on citizens, that to protect yourself you have to give up your rights. That is not true.
The analyst argued that this dynamic has already been seen at other times in the region, where the emergency becomes permanent and institutional control is reduced. In democratic terms, this shift affects the separation of powers and favors the expansion of the Executive over the Congress, judges, and oversight bodies.
The effect on the press and checks
One of the most sensitive points of his warning was the impact on press freedom. Almánzar cited the case of El Faro, a Salvadoran outlet that moved its operations out of the country in
